A 6-year-old boy fatally shot a 12-year-old girl with a pellet gun at a birthday party in Delta Junction on Saturday, the Alaska State Troopers said.
The girl, identified by troopers as Marina Rybak, was taken to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital Saturday with a gunshot wound to her neck. Troopers were notified of her death at 9:19 p.m., according to the dispatch.
Another child at the birthday party had gotten a hold of the pellet gun and given it to the boy, said trooper spokesman Megan Peters. The gun belonged to a relative of the boy.
"The six year old was taking the gun back in the house when he pulled the trigger," Peters wrote in an e-mail Sunday. "He didn't know the gun was loaded."
The children ran inside and told the mother of the 6-year-old what had happened right away, Peters said.
The name of the 6-year-old has not been released.
Reach Michelle Theriault Boots at mtheriault@adn.com or 257-4344.
By MICHELLE THERIAULT BOOTS