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13-year-old boy arrested for killing 10-year-old with crossbow

By Ray Downs

Oct. 24 (UPI) -- A 13-year-old Oklahoma boy has been arrested for killing a 10-year-old boy with a crossbow, officials said Monday.

The suspect, whose name has not been released because he is a minor, was taken to a juvenile detention center for killing Austin Almanza. Lincoln County police said the two boys were playing with Austin's brother Ayden prior to the killing. Ayden was also struck with an arrow during the incident, but suffered only minor injuries.

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"There was a disagreement amongst the three prior to the shooting," Lincoln County Sheriff Charlie Dougherty said, according to KOKH-TV.

Dougherty said during a press conference that the children were playing in a treehouse on an empty lot Saturday when the juvenile suspect allegedly shot an arrow that went through the right side of Austin's body and exited on the left where it then struck Ayden in the arm, according to the Oklahoman. When police arrived, Austin was dead and Ayden still had the arrow in his arm.

Ayden was taken to the hospital for his injuries and released Sunday.

Sheriff Charlie Dougherty said he expects criminal charges to be filed against the 13-year-old.

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"On an incident like this, I think you have to take the word accident plumb out," said Dougherty. "10-year-old Austin is not dead because of an accident. He's dead because of an action that took place. So until something steers us in the other direction, we're going to work it as a homicide."

Oklahoma law doesn't prohibit minors from possessing a crossbow.

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