Upper Darby community in shock after girl, 14, killed in accidental shooting

UPPER DARBY, Pa. (WPVI) -- A community is in mourning after a 14-year-old girl died from an apparent accidental shooting in Upper Darby.

Police say the teenage girl and her friends were playing with a gun when it went off Thursday afternoon inside a home along the 100 block of Springton Road.

RELATED: 14-year-old girl killed in accidental shooting inside home: Police

It was a somber start to the day Friday, as students, parents and staff returned to Beverly Hills Middle School, where officials say she was a student

"It's a sad thing for the parents, so I really feel sorry for everybody," said Samantha Myers from Upper Darby.

The school district also made grief counselors available.

"Someone lost their life, and three other juveniles are going to have to live with what occurred in that house for the rest of their lives. Guns are not toys," said Timothy Bernhardt, Upper Darby Police Superintendent.

Bernhardt says right now they believe a group of friends, which included two boys and two girls, were hanging out at the home.

He says they got hold of a gun in the house, and it went off while they were playing with it in the upstairs bedroom.

Officials say a single bullet was fired, striking the victim in the head.

"What we do know is that it wasn't like this was an act of violence, it wasn't like this was a fight, it wasn't a dispute," said Bernhardt.

Police tell Action News they are speaking with the other kids and trying to determine how they got a hold of the gun, who was holding it, and who it belongs to.

Members of the community and police are making a plea for gun safety at home.

"We have gun locks here, and we have gun safes here," said Bernhardt. "If anyone in this town or a resident needs one or wants one, please come here, and we can give that to you."

"You must put them away and take the bullets out and hide it. That is no joke up there when a child, 14, gets killed. A sad day," said Cliff Myers from Upper Darby.

Detectives in Upper Darby are talking with the DA to see if any charges are warranted as they work to figure out exactly how this tragedy happened.