Gun fired from teen’s hand kills funny, friendly seventh-grader

Wednesday would have been Brooklynn Mohler’s last day of seventh grade, and her friends and classmates gathered outside of Schofield Middle School at dismissal to reminisce about the girl who was always smiling.

Las Vegas Police responded about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday to the report of a shooting in a south Las Vegas home and found Mohler, 13, in critical condition. She was taken to University Medical Center, where she died from her injuries.

Another teenage girl was holding the firearm, which came from the residence, when it was discharged, police said. However, no additional details about the circumstances of the accidental shooting have been released.

Friends of both girls were shocked by Mohler’s death.

“We were making summer plans just last week,” one of the girls who was friends with Mohler said. “She could make anybody smile in a second.”

The girls described Mohler as the class clown who would entertain them with her antics.

“She was really outgoing and bright,” another girl said. “She was friends with everyone. She was loud and funny.”

“We knew her so well,” one said. “You see it on the news and you think it would never happen to us. We never thought it would happen to someone in our school. We weren’t ready for this.”

School officials sent a letter home with students offering grief counseling for any student who may need it and urging parents to talk to their children about grief, loss and anger. The letter did not name Mohler, referring to her as “student” and “her.”

“It is never easy to lose a valuable life, especially at a young age,” the letter from school principal A.J. Adams said. “This student will always be remembered as part of the Schofield family, and our staff and students will miss her dearly.”

Police said the shooting in the 1600 block of Little Crow Avenue, near Spencer Street and Pebble Road, was accidental and do not anticipate filing any charges.

Charges are filed in these instances (accidental shooting involving a juvenile) when there is criminal negligence, police spokesman Bill Cassell said. This investigation does not show that there was any negligence.

Police have been to the residence twice in the past, according to a neighbor two houses down, who wished to remain anonymous. He said three kids ranging from mid-to-late teens to elementary school-age live there.

“(People) will be looking at the parents,” he said. “Why was the gun out? Even in a house full of adults, a gun should have a lock on it always. It’s turning into a big thing.”

There were two other juveniles in the home at the time of the shooting, and it was not clear if any adults were in the residence.

Friends believe one of the juveniles was Mohler’s best friend.

The shooting is still under investigation.

Contact Rochel Leah Goldblatt at rgoldblatt@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381.