A 17-year-old Milwaukee boy has been criminally charged after prosecutors say he negligently handled a gun near his friend and fired off a round, killing the 18-year-old Texas man.
The shooting took place Jan. 9 in the 6000 block of West Carmen Avenue. Prosecutors charged Jaden E. Jenkins-Delane, 17, Tuesday in connection to the death of Christopher Carter Jr.
Carter had been staying at Jenkins-Delane’s Milwaukee residence when the shooting occurred, according to a criminal complaint. Carter was the first shooting death in Milwaukee in 2025.
Jenkins-Delane told investigators he was cleaning a round from a handgun when it went off, striking Carter in the pelvis. Jenkins-Delane and his mother drove Carter to the hospital and along the way, Carter threw the gun out the car window, Jenkins-Delane said to authorities. Carter stated that Jenkins-Delane shot him by mistake and “something was janky with the gun,” the mother said to investigators.
Carter was driven to St. Joseph’s Hospital, but later transported to Froedtert Hospital, where he died. His family couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Tuesday.
Jenkins-Delane is not legally allowed to posses a firearm. He was charged with homicide by negligent handing of a gun and possession of a dangerous weapon by someone under 18. He is in custody and was scheduled to make his initial court appearance on Tuesday.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee teen charged with negligent homicide in death of Texas man