Eric Nelson was 14 when he was shot and killed inside his home on 15th Avenue North in Princeton, Minnesota, on May 15, 2017. Authorities arrived shortly before 4 p.m. after reports of gunfire and found Eric’s body; another 14-year-old boy from Sherburne County was present at the scene.

Eric was an eighth grader at Princeton Middle School, recently honored at the school’s Character Trait Breakfast for enthusiasm. The loss deeply affected the school and town; hundreds attended a prayer vigil at New Life Church and the community rallied around the Nelson family. Investigators determined the firearm used belonged to Eric’s father, Daniel Nelson, who had left a loaded handgun accessible in the home. In May 2018 Daniel Nelson was charged with negligent storage of firearms and two counts of child endangerment in connection with Eric’s death.

If anyone knew Eric, his routines, or has information about the circumstances that led to the shooting, please come forward.