Boy Scout Dies: 12-Year-Old Boy Scout Shoots Himself At Camp

A Boy Scout died after shooting himself in the head according to authorities. Yahoo! News reports that the 12-year-old boy died from a gunshot wound to the head but it is unclear whether he committed suicide or the gun went off accidentally. Police were called to a Boy Scout camp in San Diego just after 7:30 am on Monday.

According to the report:

“Officers found a gun in the boy’s tent. It’s not clear yet where the gun came from or how it got into the camp. There were no firearm programs or activities available, and Boy Scouts of America policy does not allow personal firearms at its events.”

When a Boy Scout dies at camp, there are a lot of questions to be asked. For starters, why would a 12-year-old boy bring a gun to camp? Many are also wondering why the boy might have taken his own life, presuming that — at age 12 — he knew what he was doing. His father was a chaperone on the week-long trip, which also poses several other questions. Did the boy have a disagreement with his dad before deciding to pack a gun for the trip? Did the boy’s father have any idea that his son has access to a gun? Police are investigating every angle of this case and will hopefully be able to answer those questions soon. Until then, grief counselors have been sent to the camp to help the other Boy Scouts and chaperones cope with the tragic loss.

Boy Scouts of America released the following statement:

“This is an extremely sad day for our entire scouting family. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and all those who experienced this tragedy. Our top priority is providing support to our community and for those in the grieving process.”

The Boy Scout that died was from Las Vegas. According to Reuters, parents of other boys at the camp were forced to make a tough decision following the incident: Should they leave their sons at the camp for the remainder of the week, or pick them up and bring them home?

Parent Vladimir Raicevic explained his thought process:

“It’s hard to leave your son there when you know what happened, but I don’t think it’s psychologically scarring for the kids who aren’t connected to that family and that troop.”

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Boy Scouts were in the news last month for something less tragic. NBC News correspondent Ann Curry was rescued by a Boy Scout troop in Harriman State Park in New York after she broke her ankle while on a hike.

[Photo courtesy of ABC News]