John Nunez, 16, died early Monday as detectives investigated whether a firearm discharged while two longtime friends were handling it.
NEW YORK CITY, NY — A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot inside a Bronx home early Monday, and police were questioning another teenager as detectives worked to determine how the firearm discharged and how the teens obtained it.
John Nunez was found shortly after 5:10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 10, inside a home at 1346 Prospect Ave. in the Morrisania section of the Bronx, according to police and published reports. He suffered a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators believe Nunez and another 16-year-old boy may have been handling a firearm when it went off, but police had not announced a final determination about the circumstances of the shooting.
The other teenager left the apartment after the shooting and was located later Monday, according to ABC7 New York. Police took him into custody for questioning. No charges had been announced as of Monday night. Authorities also had not publicly explained who owned the gun or how the teenagers came into possession of it.
Nunez lived only a few blocks from the home where he was shot, according to the New York Post. People who knew the two boys told ABC7 that they had been friends for a long time. Nunez’s family said he had been visiting his best friend when the shooting occurred. His sister, Sol Nunez, said relatives were waiting for investigators to establish exactly what happened.
“We don’t know the full story yet, so we’re still waiting on that,” Sol Nunez told ABC7. She said her family had heard that the shooting may have been accidental but did not want to draw conclusions before detectives completed their investigation.
Relatives remembered Nunez as an upbeat and caring teenager who was preparing for his senior year at Metropolitan High School. His sister told the New York Post that he enjoyed baseball and video games and hoped to enter the military. She said the siblings had discussed joining the military, following relatives who had served in the Marines.
Sol Nunez described her younger brother as protective of her despite their age difference. She said his personality brought energy to the family and that his death had left relatives devastated. She also said she did not believe the firearm belonged to her brother, though police had not publicly identified its owner.
The shooting remained under investigation Tuesday. Detectives had not publicly said whether the firearm discharged accidentally, whether anyone would face charges or where the weapon came from. Those questions remained central to the investigation as police continued examining the circumstances surrounding Nunez’s death.
Author note: Last updated Aug. 11, 2026.