On Christmas evening in Indian Head, Maryland, 17-year-old Edwin Roberto Rivera Juarez was fatally shot inside a single-family home on Mattingly Avenue. The shooting occurred on December 25, 2020, when a firearm being handled by a 13-year-old girl discharged and a single shot struck Edwin in the upper body. Emergency services arrived around 6:45 p.m.; Edwin was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead.

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office described the event as a tragic accident in its initial investigation. Detectives focused on how the teenagers gained access to the firearm, and the case was to be reviewed by the Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office for potential charges. The Sheriff’s Office used the incident to urge gun owners to secure their firearms to prevent similar tragedies.

If anyone was at the Mattingly Avenue home that night or has information about how the firearm was stored or accessed, please come forward.