Authorities in Mesa County have arrested a man on suspicion of manslaughter and prohibited use of a weapon in the apparently accidental Saturday shooting death of an 11-year-old boy.
Jeremy Mushrush , 41, is also suspected of attempting to influence a public official in connection with the case. He turned himself in to investigators on Sunday.
The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office says the boy, Caden Randolph, died after being shot in the chest Saturday at a home on the 3000 block of Sandpiper Avenue, just east of Grand Junction.
The county coroner’s office says Caden died at St. Mary’s Hospital. His manner of death has been ruled a homicide.
Mushrush is not related to Caden, investigators say, though the shooting happened at Mushrush’s home. Officials said the boy was there visiting a friend.
Mushrush was interviewed by authorities in the hours after the shooting, but not immediately arrested. Further information gathered later by investigators “implicated Mr. Mushrush in criminal activity,” leading to his arrest, officials said.
“When the gun went off, unfortunately the young boy happened to be in the line of fire,” said Megan Terlecky, a sheriff’s office spokeswoman. “This is a very sad tragedy and unfortunately an incident that didn’t have to happen.”
Terlecky said Monday she wasn’t sure if the gun was a handgun, a rifle or a shotgun.
“There were possible plans for a target practice outing the following day,” Terlecky said. “That’s why the gun was out. Unfortunately, nearly every gun safety rule available does not appear to have been practiced.”
Mushrush is being held at the Mesa County jail in lieu of $100,000 bail, records show.
The county sheriff’s office says it is working with prosecutors and the coroner on the investigation. Court records in the case have been sealed.
“This remains an ongoing, active investigation,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
