Luthersburg teen being charged as an adult following fatal shooting

A 14-year-old teen from Luthersburg is being charged as an adult following the fatal shooting of a 12-year-old at his residence.

Though a minor, because the teen is being charged as an adult, he has been publicly identified as Aaron John Klingensmith of 77 Bearfield Rd., Luthersburg in a criminal complaint filed at the office of Magisterial District Judge David S. Meholick.

According to that criminal complaint, on April 28 at approximately 7:30 p.m., PSP DuBois was dispatched to Klingensmith's Brady Township, Clearfield County residence for a report of a 12-year-old female victim who had been shot with a pistol. It was reported by Klingensmith's father that Klingensmith was showing the victim the gun and it went off.

At approximately 7:36 p.m., PSP DuBois members arrived on scene, where the victim was unresponsive and in critical condition in EMS care. The victim reportedly had a gunshot wound to the head, causing serious bodily injury.

Klingensmith was present at the scene and was transported to PSP DuBois by his parents for an interview.

During an interview at approximately 8:35 p.m. Klingensmith related that he asked the victim if she wanted to see his dad's gun. He then grabbed the gun and showed the victim, pointing it toward her. Klingensmith related that he asked the victim, “loaded or unloaded?” After the victim responded, he squeezed the trigger.

Klingensmith advised that the firearm utilized was a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol which he retrieved in a gun case on top of a safe located in the living room of the residence.

Klingensmith and the victim were reportedly sitting beside each other on the couch in the living room of the residence, with the victim turned toward him, when the shooting occurred.

Klingensmith related that after squeezing the trigger, the victim “dropped,” and he proceeded to go tell his father.

It was noted in the affidavit of probable cause that Klingensmith had knowledge of firearms and firearm safety.

On April 29 at approximately 12:33 am., Klingensmith's father was interviewed by PSP DuBois. He related that the firearm in question was in the original gun case, which was located on top of the gun cabinet in the living room of the residence. He also alleged that he was unaware that Klingensmith

knew it was there. He also related that he loads the magazines for his firearms but never loads a bullet into the chamber and that Klingensmith would have had to chamber a round into the firearm from the magazine in order for the incident to occur.

On April 29 between 12:29 and 12:44 a.m., the Smith & Wesson M&P handgun, a spent shell casing, and spent full metal jacket bullet were seized from the scene of the incident.

On May 1, the victim was pronounced deceased at a hospital in Pittsburgh.

Klingensmith is facing one first-degree felony charge of murder of the third degree, one first-degree misdemeanor charge of involuntary manslaughter, one first-degree felony charge of aggravated assault – attempts to cause serious bodily injury or causes injury with extreme indifference, one seconddegree felony charge of aggravated assault – attempts to cause or causes bodily injury with deadly weapon, and one second-degree misdemeanor charge of recklessly endangering another person.

Bail for Klingensmith was denied.

A preliminary hearing for Klingensmith is scheduled to be held at 1:15 p.m. on May 10 before Judge Meholick.