Erica Gibson was 12 when she was fatally shot in the head on May 8, 2021, while visiting a friend’s house on Arlington Lane in Hazel Crest, Illinois. She was pronounced dead at Advocate South Suburban Hospital shortly before 11 p.m. The Cook County Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide.

Investigators concluded the firearm discharged while a 14-year-old friend was holding an unsecured weapon; the shooting was ruled accidental. The Cook County State’s Attorney reviewed the case and did not file criminal charges against the juvenile. Erica’s family publicly objected to that decision and said the gun owner should be held responsible. The community held a vigil, remembering Erica’s love of dancing and how she made people smile.

What details about the house, the weapon, or how the firearm came to be unsecured might help explain why this happened?