N. Warren man charged with manslaughter in Jan. 1 shooting | News, Sports, Jobs

A North Warren man has been charged with manslaughter in connection with a fatal shooting on New Year's Day.

Zachary Wells, 11 Vine St., 21, was charged in March with two counts of receiving stolen goods and tampering with evidence. Conewango Township police filed a manslaughter charge late Tuesday afternoon.

According to the probable cause affidavit, the new charges stem from a July 26 interview in which Wells allegedly revealed that he “Pulled the trigger without pointing it in a safe direction” and believed that there was no bullet in the chamber.

Conewango Township Police were called to 11 Vine Street shortly after midnight on January 1 for a report of a shooting.

A woman opened the door and allegedly told police that a 17-year-old man “had shot himself in an upstairs bedroom,” according to affidavit of probable cause.

Police reported that they went upstairs and observed Wells “He left his bedroom and repeatedly shouted, 'No, don't come up.'”

The affidavit states that Wells was arrested before police observed the teen. “lies covered in blood on (Wells') bed.”

Officers discovered blood on the bed and a gun under the teenager’s right arm.

“Later we learned,” The affidavit states: “that (the youth) died from a single gunshot wound to the head.”

Wells told police that he, the teenager and a third person were in the bedroom and “(swear word) around” with the handguns that the teenager had allegedly brought into the apartment several times.

“These handguns,” The police claim “(The teen and Wells) knew they were being stolen.”

Two 9 mm pistols and a police-identified “AR-15 style rifle” were found in the apartment. Three mobile phones were confiscated, which showed “Multiple videos and pictures show the handguns in (Wells's) possession while he was in his own bedroom on Vine St.”

According to police, further investigation revealed that both guns were stolen – one from a storage facility in Marienville and the other from a vehicle parked in North Warren last October.

In the affidavit filed Tuesday, Wells allegedly admitted during questioning in July that he had been drinking at the time of the incident and told officers that the situation “terrible accident.” Wells reportedly told investigators that he had the gun in his possession “and was sitting in the corner of the bedroom when the shot rang out.”

Officials claim Wells demonstrated how to use a gun, but “stated that he was confused as to how the firearm discharged because he had 'checked' and made sure the weapon was empty.”

Wells reportedly told police that he “placed the empty magazine into the gun and pulled the trigger without pointing in a safe direction.”

“The defendant did not properly check whether there was a cartridge in the pistol,” says the affidavit. “This resulted in the defendant pulling the trigger and discharging the firearm at (the juvenile), resulting in his death.”

The police state in the affidavit that the information provided by Wells is consistent with all other evidence and “would only be known to law enforcement or a person who was at the scene at the time of the incident.”

Wells remains in the county jail.