Teen charged with Dallas 14-year-old's shooting death

A 14-year old girl was shot and killed by another teenager who was messing around with a gun.

Azeneth Pina was a freshman at Lake Highlands High School. Her family was too stricken with grief to talk about their loss. But those who remember her say she was unique and left a big impression.

Dallas police are releasing very few details about the shooting since both the suspect and victim are minors. But according to the victim's family, the two were sitting inside of a parked car along with some other friends when the fatal shot was fired.

Beto Rodriguez did not expect Sunday to be the last time he would see Azeneth alive. The 14-year-old girl and her family attend the Dallas church where Rodriguez is a youth pastor. He says she was unique.

“She was different than anyone else. She was a doer,” the youth pastor said. “And she was aggressive in a good way.”

Dallas police say Azeneth was shot and killed by a 16-year-old boy Tuesday afternoon. Details are limited, but investigators say the suspect recklessly shot and killed Azeneth while playing with a gun.

According to Rodriguez, the shooting happened in the parking lot of Azeneth’s apartment complex on Whitehurst Drive near Skillman Street.

“From what we know, there were several other people in the vehicle. From what they told us, they don't know when they heard the gunshot,” Rodriguez said. “When they realized she was shot, they rushed her to the hospital.”

Pastor Juan Guizar says Azeneth’s parents were at work when the shooting happened, adding that she was shot in the face.

“They are devastated, obviously,” the pastor said. “And it's a huge, huge loss for the family and for us as a church as well.”

At Lake Highlands High School where Azeneth was a freshman, crisis counselors spent the day talking to people affected by her death.

“She had only been here for this semester but had already left an impression not only on staff members, but students as well,” said RISD Communications Director Tim Clark.

A letter was sent home with students informing guardians of the tragic situation.

Police are not sure how the 16-year-old suspect got the gun. The boy remains at the juvenile detention center and is charged with manslaughter.