Gun Owner, Teen-Ager Held : 2 Arrested After Van Nuys Boy Fatally Shoots Friend

A 14-year-old Van Nuys boy was arrested on suspicion of murder in the shooting death of a teen-age friend, and a man who left a pistol with the youths was jailed on suspicion of felony child endangering, Los Angeles police said Monday.

The shooting occurred about 8 p.m. Saturday when Arelio Sepulveda, 25, of Van Nuys left three 14-year-old boys in his car while he went to buy alcohol for himself and the youths from a market in the 13300 block of Oxnard Street in Van Nuys, Lt. Al Durrer said.

One of the 14-year-olds picked up Sepulveda’s .44-caliber revolver, pointed it at Arthur Clemons Jr., 15, of Van Nuys and fired one shot, which struck Clemons in the upper body, Durrer said.

Sepulveda drove the wounded youth to nearby Olive View Medical Center, Durrer said, but the boy was dead on arrival.

The youth who fired the shot is being held at Sylmar Juvenile Hall. He told investigators he did not know the gun was loaded, Durrer said.

Sepulveda, who was buying alcohol to take to a party with the youths, was arrested on suspicion of felony child endangering and was being held in lieu of $18,000 bail in Van Nuys Jail.

Second Gun in Car

Durrer said Sepulveda, who spent most of the day with the three teen-agers, had a .25-caliber automatic pistol in the glove compartment of the car along with the revolver, which was kept on the front seat.

The revolver was not loaded when the youths played with the gun earlier in the day, Durrer said. But the boy who was not involved in the shooting put a bullet in the gun when Sepulveda had an argument with another man before going to the market, Durrer said.

Durrer said Sepulveda and the others may not have seen the youth load the gun.