On February 12, 2022, 16-year-old Dillon Viens was fatally shot at a friend’s house on Cedar Street in Johnston, Rhode Island. The shooting was initially described as an accident by those involved, but a later review of interviews, physical evidence, and the State Medical Examiner’s findings led investigators to reclassify the death as a homicide.

Johnston Police and the Attorney General’s office continued the investigation for more than a year. In April 2023 a juvenile who had been present at the shooting was arrested and charged in Family Court with manslaughter, using a firearm while committing a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a minor. Authorities also arrested 30-year-old Marios Kirios, the gun’s owner, on a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor; prior misdemeanor unsafe-storage charges involving the same firearm were noted.

Dillon’s family has pushed for stronger gun-safety laws, backing proposed legislation called Dillon’s Law to increase penalties for owners who fail to secure weapons.