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Texas 17-Year-Old Charged After Fatally Shooting 15-Year-Old Girlfriend

Javon Martin faces one count of criminally negligent homicide.

A 17-year-old boy from Texas was arrested for accidentally shooting and killing his 15-year-old girlfriend after playing with his rifle in a disturbing video, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

Javon Martin was arrested immediately after the shooting on Sunday.

According to investigators, Martin was playing with a rifle and waving it around when he started pointing the gun at his girlfriend, who was identified as Makaila Simon. Just a few moments after pointing the gun at Simon, he pulled the trigger.

Simon was wounded in the chest and died, reported Click2Houston.

"They were inside a bedroom. There were other people home at the time, and our condolences go out to the family," Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said.

Simon's mother, Nicole Marlborough, said the victim had just celebrated her 15th birthday. Although police say the death was accidental, Marlborough thinks Martin’s actions were intentional.

"I’m pretty sure she would not have been over here, and I’m pretty sure it was not an accident," Marlborough told Click2Houston.

Marlborough said the video taken from Simon's cellphone shows Martin waving the gun at her daughter.

"Something needs to be done as far as gun violence. It should be no reason why a 15-year-old or 14-year-old have guns. It should be no reason how parents are even allowing guns to even be in their home," Marlborough said.

In the video, you can hear Simon tells Martin to stop pointing the rifle at her.

On Sunday, Martin appeared in court and has been charged with criminally negligent homicide in connection with Simon's death.

Martin was out on bond for another charge. The judge set his bond at $10,000 in this case. He is expected to make another appearance in court Monday morning.

The Houston Independent School District issued a statement after learning about Simon's death:

"The Houston Independent School District is deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of one of our students. Cases like this are always extremely difficult to bear and we will have grief counselors on campus tomorrow to assist students and staff.  We offer our deepest condolences to the family and to all who loved and cared for our student."

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