Eleven-year-old Natalie Guilianna Romero Puente died on April 26, 2023, from an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot wound at her home in the 1600 block of Georgetown Way in Salinas, California. The shooting occurred around 6:30 p.m.; emergency crews from the Salinas Police Department and Salinas Fire Department responded and pronounced Natalie dead at the scene.

Investigators determined the firearm belonged to Natalie’s 18-year-old brother and that it was an illegally modified automatic Glock capable of rapid fire. Authorities cited the modification and improper storage as significant factors in the accident and submitted reports to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office recommending charges against the brother, including possession of a machine gun and negligent storage of a firearm; the District Attorney’s Office is reviewing whether to file felony or misdemeanor charges. Natalie was a fifth-grade student at Creekside Elementary School whose family and community held a memorial service in her memory.

Does anyone have information about the storage of the weapon or events that evening that could help clarify how the firearm became accessible to Natalie?