Madera police remind us of gun safety after ‘accidental’ fatal shooting

MADERA, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – A 21-year-old Madera man was accidentally shot and killed in a backyard on Wednesday night.

Police say Maria Morales, 51, was arrested under suspicion of manslaughter and negligent discharge of a firearm and was booked into the Madera County Jail.

Morales and the victim were once roommates.

Police are not releasing his name, as the next of kin has yet to be notified.

“It’s tragic not just for the person, the loss of life in their family, but for everyone to have to experience something that’s just not expected in our daily lives,” said Madera Sgt. Matthew McCombs.

The shooting took place in Morales’ backyard on the 300 block of Washington Circle.

“We have a witness that was next door that heard people laughing and seemed like they were just having a good time,” Sgt. McCombs said.

According to McCombs, Morales was showing the victim her gun while trying to detach the magazine; that’s when the firearm went off and hit the victim in the head.

“You can tell how it shocks the neighborhood when they hear gunshots ring out and then they all come out in the front yard and they’re curious about what’s going on,” McCombs said.

Morales was the one to call 911.

“He was breathing at the time when the ambulance took him to CRMC,” McCombs said.

He later died from his injuries.

McCombs says Morales was distraught.

“Fully cooperative with statements, consented to do all kinds of searches and things like that at the property.”

She told police that the firearm was registered in her name, in another state.

However, when Madera Police ran the serial number, nothing came back in their database.

“A search through the federal, through the OJ should show that, if it’s hers or not,” McCombs said.

If the second search comes back negative, Morales could face an additional misdemeanor.

“We like people to possess firearms, we want people to have that feeling of security in their own home, but you’ve got to treat it with respect,” McCombs said.

McCombs reminds the public of the rules of firearm safety: always treat a gun as if it is loaded and never point the firearm at anything they don’t intend to shoot.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.