Teen dies following accidental shooting in Hamilton Co.

UPDATE: A Central Indiana community is remembering a teenager, killed in a deadly shooting.

16 year-old Carson Wallace was shot Tuesday in what investigators call a tragic accident. There's new information about what happened, as Fox59 News learns the tragedy started out as a simple snowball fight.

Friends remember Carson Wallace as a kid who loved the outdoors.


"Carson was known for one thing, hunting and fishing, and he loved to to that everyday. There's not a single day that went by he didn't do one of those two things," said Wallace's teacher, Lance Scheib.

School was cancelled Tuesday due to the snow. Wallace was at home, and he and his 14 year-old brother were horsing around according to Hamilton Co. Sheriff Doug Carter.

"The two boys did what two boys do. The older brother was chasing the younger brother with a snowball and their mom said lunch was ready, come inside, so they started running up toward the house and in this excited state that the younger brother's in, he runs inside and whether it was shotgun or a shovel. There was a shotgun laying on top of the trash can and he just kind of turned around to his big brother and just pulled the trigger, " said Sheriff Carter.

Carson's mom is a nurse. She tried to save her son's life by attending to him until paramedics arrived. He later died in surgery at Methodist Hospital.

According to school officials, Carson's death has rocked Noblesville High School.

"We had a moment of silence at the high school for the child from the incident," said Student Services Director Mark Booth.

"Its not something that you ever understand, but you learn to deal with it and understand that you have to go on," he added.

"His brother was his hero and yeah, his brother was his hero," said a choked up Sheriff Carter when asked about how the younger brother was coping.

Investigators say Carson and his brother were quite familar with gun safety, both avid hunters according to neighbors. Nobody seems to know why the shotgun was loaded. Authorities say they don't expect to file any charges against the teen.

Wednesday, counselors were on hand at Noblesville High School to speak with students were upset about the loss of their friend.

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Hamilton Co. sheriff says shotgun did not tip over, fire fatal shot at 16 year-old boy.

New information suggests a change in the story about a Hamilton Co. teenager who tragically died Tuesday. The Hamilton Co. Sheriff told Fox59 News in an interview Wednesday morning, it now appears the teen and his 14 year-old brother were playing with the shotgun, which they did not know was loaded.

The sheriff says the younger brother accidentally shot his brother in the chest. 16 year-old Carson Wallace later died at Methodist Hospital.

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Neighbors say 16 year-old Carson Wallace loved the outdoors.

"The boys are always hunting, duck hunting, geese hunting, rabbit. Whatever season it is, they're out there hunting it," said neighbor Jerry Wiles.

They said it wouldn't have been unusual for him to be near a shotgun or rifle, given the family's love of hunting. The scene at Wallace's home in Cicero Tuesday, however, turned tragic. According to Hamilton Co. investigators, a gun went off in the garage, hitting wallace in the chest.

He was rushed into surgery at Methodist Hospital, but later died from his injuries.

"Didn't hear the gunshot, but if I did, I didn't really notice because it's hunting season," said Wiles.

The teen's mother is a nurse and was home at the time of the shooting. Sheriff's deputies say she treated him and gave information to 9-1-1 operators about his condition.

Meanwhile, the exact details of the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain unclear. Investigators say Wallace's 14 year-old brother was present at the time of the apparent accidental shooting.

They tell Fox59 News, they will now try to determine how the gun discharged and claimed a young life.

"At this point, everything appears that its an accidental shooting, but we still have to talk to some people at the residence to find out exactly how the incident happened," explained Deputy Vicky Dunbar with the Hamilton Co. Sheriff's Dept.

Noblesville High School administrators say their crisis response team will be available at the school to talk with students and staff members who may need assistance dealing with their grief.