Oak Hill Student Dies After Shooting; 18-Year-Old Charged With Child Neglect Resulting in Death

Oak Hill is a town where folks know their neighbors, and on Wednesday the whole Fayette County community was grieving. A young student died after being shot inside a home on 3rd Street Tuesday afternoon, and an 18-year-old man now faces a criminal charge in connection with his death.

Oak Hill police said officers were sent to 400 3rd St. just after 2:40 p.m. Tuesday for a report of a gunshot wound. When they arrived, they found a male juvenile who had been shot. Officers began giving him aid in the front doorway of the home, and he was rushed to the hospital by EMS. Despite those efforts, he later died from his injuries.

Suspect charged

Police have charged Gabriel Osorio, 18, with child neglect resulting in death.

According to a criminal complaint, officers found Osorio screaming for help when they arrived. Detectives later found an AR-style rifle lying on a bed inside the home.

In an interview with officers, Osorio said he had invited three people over to the house, including the juvenile, according to the complaint. He told police that one of them found a firearm he had bought a few days earlier under his bed, and that the group began taking photos with it while it had no magazine in it.

The complaint states that at some point one of the people got the key to a lockbox where the rifle's magazine was kept and took the magazine out. Osorio told officers he took the gun away from that person and asked them not to mess with it. Shortly afterward, according to the complaint, the same person picked the rifle up again and a round went off, striking the juvenile.

Osorio told police that person tossed the rifle back onto the bed and tried to leave. He said he stopped them, went back inside to help the juvenile and called for emergency help. The owner of the home was not there at the time, according to the complaint.

Police say the investigation is still ongoing, and no other charges had been announced as of Wednesday afternoon.

A school community in mourning

The young man was a student in Fayette County Schools. In a statement Wednesday, Superintendent David A. Warvel said hearts across the district are heavy.

"Our hearts are heavy as we grieve the loss of one of our students. Right now, our focus is on supporting our students, staff, and the family during this incredibly difficult time," Warvel said. He added that counseling and other support are being made available, and he asked everyone to keep the student's family, friends, teammates and school community in their thoughts and prayers.

Out of respect for the family and the ongoing investigation, the school district said it is not discussing specific details.

If your family keeps firearms at home, this is a heartbreaking reminder to keep them locked, unloaded and out of reach of young people. Please keep this family and the Oak Hill community in your prayers tonight.