Man trying to fix gun accidentally shoots 17-year-old brother dead, NM cops say

A 19-year-old was arrested in the accidental shooting that killed his teen brother, New Mexico officials said.

On June 27, the man was hanging out with his 17-year-old brother in a group in an alley near their home, according to a June 30 Facebook post by the Roswell Police Department.

Others in the group were “popping fireworks” and drinking before they sat on the beds of two pickup trucks parked next to one another, police said.

The man was sitting across from his teen brother and handling a gun, trying to fix it, police said.

He raised the gun and pulled the trigger, fatally shooting his brother in the head on accident, police said.

The teen was pronounced dead at the scene, officers said.

The man was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter and negligent use of a deadly weapon, police said.

He was booked into the Chaves County Detention Center, officers said.

Roswell is about a 200-mile drive southeast from Albuquerque.

This story was originally published July 2, 2025 at 12:52 PM with the headline "Man trying to fix gun accidentally shoots 17-year-old brother dead, NM cops say."