Jackson teen dies after possible accidental shooting, says police

JACKSON, Mich. (WILX) - “I knew that something bad was going to happen. I honestly thought it would be jail, but I didn’t think anything like this, but if you have kids that have access to weapons, that is a problem,” said Taylor Miller, sister of 15-year-old Carter Miller.

A family is in grief tonight after a deadly shooting in Jackson. They’re looking for answers to what led to the death of a 15-year-old boy. This shooting, on April 20, involved teenagers. The young man’s family simply wants the truth.

What was supposed to be a fun night with friends instead turned into Carter Miller tragically losing his life.

(Photos provided by the family of Carter Miller)

The 900 block of Maple Avenue, roughly three minutes from downtown Jackson, is where 15-year-old Carter was shot in the chest area inside a home, according to the City of Jackson police.

“He was like, ‘Hey, I want to be dropped off on Maple, off of Morrell.’ I was like, ‘Okay, I’ll take you to your friend’s house.’ He was like, ‘No, I’m good,’ and just a few hours later, the police were at our door, and they said we needed to go to the hospital. And when we did, they said this is an open homicide investigation, and my brother is dead,” said Taylor.

Police say a group of friends were gathered inside a bedroom when the shooting happened. A parent was also home at the time.

“There were several juveniles in this upstairs bedroom when a gunshot went off, and the victim was struck. Some of the initial witness statements from the juveniles present indicated it was possibly accidental,” said Elmer Hitt, the Director of Jackson Police.

However, Carter’s sister, Taylor, says she wants to know how this happened and why minors were in possession of a gun.

“A lot of people in the room, somebody has to know exactly what happened. The police came and talked to us today, the detective that’s on the case, and he said that there is definitely inconsistency, and at this point, we have to rely on science to give us the answers we’re looking for,” said Taylor.

“This is our second death we’ve had in 2024 in the City of Jackson related to a gunshot victim, and again, one is too many,” said Hitt.

With one death leading to the mourning of many.

“A gun killed my brother, and someone has to be at fault,” said Taylor.

No funeral arrangements have been made yet for Carter. The family has started a GoFundMe account to help pay for funeral expenses. Jackson police also say there were roughly six to nine teens in the bedroom. However, all have yet to be identified and brought in for questioning.

The investigation into Carter’s death is ongoing. If you have any information related to the incident or want to report information, contact the Jackson Police Department.

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