13-year-old boy killed in shooting Saturday

Another shooting. Another child dead in Memphis.

It happened this time in an apparent accidental shooting at the end of a normally sedate cul-de-sac in Hickory Hill, in a brick ranch home under a towering oak.

"It's usually a quiet cove,'' said neighbor Carlos Miller, 40. "Nothing goes on back here.''

Details released by police show the shooting happened at 9:26 p.m. Saturday at Hickory Trace Cove.

The shooting Saturday night left a 13-year-old boy dead, triggering yet another gut check for a city where at least 15 children and teenagers have been slain this year.

"Mayor (Jim) Strickland is grieved by the loss of any person but in particular the loss of a child. In this case, the child's death may have been prevented with the use of a gun lock," the mayor's spokeswoman, Ursula Madden, said in an emailed statement.

"The mayor was thinking of young people and their safety when he teamed up with the U.S. Attorney's office, Project ChildSafe, and a half dozen media outlets to give away gun locks a few weeks ago. More than 2,500 locks were given away in one day, but we need people to use them to keeps our kids safe inside their homes."

Police still were withholding the name of the victim on Sunday pending notification of family.

A second boy, also 13, was arrested and taken to Juvenile Court on a charge of reckless homicide, said Memphis Police Department spokesman Louis Brownlee. Under Tennessee law, reckless homicide is a lower-level felony involving an unintentional killing.

"The complainant advised his friend was shot,'' police said in a news release. "The male victim was pronounced deceased on the scene.''

Madden, the mayor's spokesperson, said, "It's also important to note that anyone can pick up a gun lock for free at any police precinct, no questions asked.''

Community activist Reginald Johnson said officials could do more to curb gun deaths.

"Until they do something and stop thinking about themselves in politics, this is not going to stop,'' said community activist Johnson, who lost a son to gun violence in 2014. Johnson said more jobs and youth activities are needed.