In Foothill Farms, an unincorporated suburb of Sacramento, Sacramento County sheriff’s deputies responded to a shooting incident around 4:30 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon. A 10-year-old boy was discovered bleeding from the head and neck in a parking lot. Despite immediate attempts at lifesaving measures, he was later pronounced dead at a hospital, as reported by the Sheriff’s Office on social media. The deceased child, identified as Keith Frierson, had left his apartment shortly before the incident to ride his bicycle, according to a relative.

The tragic event unfolded when another 10-year-old boy went to his father’s truck to retrieve cigarettes and stumbled upon a loaded gun. Taking the weapon, he boasted about his father having a gun and subsequently shot the victim once before fleeing into a nearby apartment, according to the Sheriff’s Office statement.

In response, deputies instructed occupants of the building to exit. The 10-year-old suspect was subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder, while his father faced charges such as carrying a stolen, loaded firearm in a vehicle, child endangerment, and being an accessory to a crime after the fact. Authorities alleged that the father attempted to conceal the gun by discarding it into a nearby trash can, where it was later discovered by deputies.

As of Tuesday, the individual is in custody with bail set at $500,000. Being a former felon, he was “legally restricted from owning or having a firearm,” as stated by the Sheriff’s Office. Additionally, it was disclosed that the gun in his possession had been reported as stolen in 2017.

There is currently no information available regarding whether the man has legal representation who could advocate on his behalf.