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Subscribe to RSSCorrection: An earlier version of this story based on a report in The Monitor of McAllen, Texas, described the wound as occurring from a ricochet. But Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Trevino told The Monitor that the 17-year-old victim aimed at a butane gas tank, then put the gun to his head and fired.
Updated 5 p.m. E.T., June 15: A 17-year-old boy in south Texas died after firing a single shot to his head, the Monitor in McAllen, Texas, reported.
Israel Torres, along with his father and brother had been in the backyard of a home in McAllen, and all three had been drinking prior to the incident, authorities said.
Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Trevino said Torres fired the shot with a handgun after trying to persuade his girlfriend to to take a shot, the paper reported.
"All three are pretty drunk when someone pulls a .380-caliber, semi-automatic and shoots it into the backyard," Trevino told reporters. "The 17-year-old gets it and tells his girlfriend, here, look, pull the trigger."
When she refused, Torres pulled out the gun's magazine and aimed at a butane gas tank, then pointed the gun at his head, the paper reported.
"He fires one time and shoots himself in the head," Trevino told The Monitor.
Investigators didn't find any reason to suspect foul play and haven't arrested anyone, but are looking into whether the father bears any criminal responsibility.
The family has been in the U.S. illegally for at least several years, Trevino said.
McAllen is just a few miles from the border.
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1 Illegal alien dead, that's a good start but we need to pick up the pace here folks.
Dumb, Dumb and Dumber. And then there were two.
It is such a shame that a young man with his whole in front of him, must die due to such foolishness. Guns,alcohol and seventeen year olds simply do not mix.
Thank you! At least there is a little common decency on this thread. I am almost physically ill looking at some of these posts. Rejoicing over the death of another human is ridiculous.
Nice to read your kind words for him. I don't like guns or illegal aliens, but I wouldn't express happiness because of this accident, like some have. The kid did have his whole life ahead of him, and he might have done something good for others, who knows. I read about an illegal alien a while back who foiled a robbery. Did he belong here? No, but his actions saved lives. If he had been killed in an accident the day before, that wouldn't have happened.
Each of us can matter in some way, as what we do ripples out to effect others. We're all part of a chain of events. This kid could of course have grown up to be a loser. But he also could conceivably have become a citizen and, say, an EMT, the person that would have performed CPR on the injured daughter of one of the people mocking him here; the EMT who wasn't there when she needed him, because he never became that person. He died in an accident that they find funny.
Great news!
Can you say lawsuit ?
Sue the tank maker for making the tank too thick.
Sue the ammo maker for not making the ammo strong to penetrate a tank.
Sounds like a winning combo.
What an idiot. If the bullet had penetrated the tank he would have died anyway. Sheesh!
that's what I was thinking...
& he would have taken the rest of the family and his girlfriend with him
I can relate to that kind of bad luck.....been here visiting way too long!!
It could of kill someone standing near by, thankfully it didn't, when will people learn. It sad that he lost he life.
Lisa;
It could have, not could of.... Killed, not kill.... and on it goes...... Use the spell checker
GAR, spell checker doesn't fix grammer. Why do you try to correct someone with bad info? Are you with the style police too?
Yu got dat rite.
Oh no !!! are the spell check police out again.???? lol..
Let me see if I've got this right...an underage, drunk, illegal alien shoots an illegally obtained firearm and kills himself as a result.
Yep...still not seeing a problem here. Darwin is alive and well in South Texas!
...
Improves the gene pool....two more chances for improvement still out there....
From the Forest Gump book on "How to Live Your LIfe"--"Stupid is as stupid does."
The lack of pity for a 17 year old who died accidentally is, quite frankly, disgusting. All I am hearing is "*DERP* Darwin Award! Ain't I funny? *DERP*" - pretty juvenile and inhumane. We all did stupid stuff when we were teenagers. Is it really just because he was illegal that this is somehow funny to all of you? Would you say the same thing about a legal citizen? Would you say the same thing if this was your kid? Show at least a little empathy, for crying out loud.
Yep, ol' Ben, I would say the same thing if it were a legal citizen.
I know, I know...I did stupid stuff growing up, but never, in childhood, adolescence or adulthood have I mixed alcohol, firearms and tanks containing incendiary material.
Sorry, I'm out of both sympathy and empathy for the stupid.
He was probably practising up to join a gang or cartel. This may have saved many lives. So screw that dead anchor baby.
You don't know this kid besides he was an illegal immigrant (which was the fault of his parents, not him). Leroy, I could say the same thing about you because I know nothing about you. For all I know, you are a member of the KKK. Who knows? I don't have a lot to go on. Your picture is of Malcom X, so maybe not, maybe you're a terrorist, a Nazi, or a black supremacist. As you can tell, I am just spewing nonsense.
RicCastagna - One of the hallmarks of humanity is the ability to sympathize with others. A kid died, let's not rejoice over his death.
Illegal, schmillegal. This story is about stupid drunk people getting exactly what could have been predicted pretty easily.
Stupid is as stupid does.
To the father I have only one word "DUHHHHHHHHHHH"
More of a long shot or freak accident. Really against the odds. Much better odds of hitting a child nearby. Like 8 to 1.
Put the boy in a casket and deport the whole family. The father should also be charged with having an illegal firearm. Charge the family for the casket as well. Don't these people have any brains. firing a firearm while intoxicated is pure stupid.
Tell that to Dick Cheney
Tragic and then, again, you can't cure stupid.
Well, I don't know. I think this kid found the cure.
People are stupid.
This just in. The 17 year old is survived by a 3 mexican girlfriends and 7 anchor babies. All are requesting citizenship because of this hardship.
You are one angry bigot. Pathetic.
If they decided to mention the family's immigration status, they should have identified the astrological sign of each of them and whether the shooter was right handed or left.
Why?
We know he wasn't standing his ground because his ground was on the other side of the border.
now that's a giggle leroy2112
How much more do we need to know about the quasi-Neanderthal nature of Texans?
'cmon Robert...the article clearly states he was not a Texan...
How much more do we need to know about the quasi-neanderthal nuture of Mexicans. There I corrected it for you.
Leroy, you really are a sad, angry, bigot. What a prick.
Sad it happened, but this I nominate for a Darwin award.
Whats the big deal and why is this news? In a nation and more particularly a state that strives to guns in the hands of everyone, people are bound to get killed.
sad a life lost over weapons mixed with alcohol = stupidity
The alcohol had nothing to do with it. Just a lucky shot.
Well stupid is as stupid does. There should be a vicious federal law banning drinking+guns.
Illegal, drinking under age and stupid.
Maybe we need to give guns, butane tanks and alcohol to all the illegals.