1 Wounded When Cousins Pose With Gun

A 15-year-old “gang associate” was taking turns posing for photos with a sawed-off shotgun when the gun went off, critically wounding him in the head, Los Angeles police said Wednesday.

The shotgun blast hit Rene Guerrero about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, in his home in the 11500 block of Kittridge Street, police said. He was in critical condition at AMI Medical Center in North Hollywood after undergoing surgery Wednesday, police said.

Guerrero’s 18-year-old cousin, Juan Gomez, who was holding the shotgun when it fired, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, police said. Detective Mike Coffey said that although the shooting appeared to have been an accident, the district attorney’s office will determine whether Gomez should be charged with any crime for recklessly handling the gun.

“If an adult is handling a weapon, he is required to use caution,” Coffey said. “If something results . . . he could be charged.”

Police said Guerrero is an associate of a North Hollywood gang--a companion of gang members who may not formally be a member. He and Gomez were in a bedroom when the shooting took place, Coffey said. Guerrero’s 12-year-old brother was also in the bedroom and his parents were in the kitchen, eating dinner.

“The victim and his cousin were taking pictures of each other as they posed holding a sawed-off shotgun,” Coffey said. “After the victim had posed, they changed places, and somehow during the picture-taking the gun discharged, striking Rene in the head.”

One of the boy’s parents ran next door to ask a neighbor to call paramedics and police.

Gomez was being held without bail at the North Hollywood station jail. Detectives expected to present the case to prosecutors Friday. Gomez is not believed to be a gang member and had been living with the Guerrero family for about three months since coming from Mexico.

The gun belonged to Guerrero, but police said they do not know how he got it. The boy’s parents did not know he had the gun or of his association with gang members, Coffey said.

Coffey said it is a common practice for gang members and their associates to pose for photographs with weapons.