Police: Brother admits to shooting boy

Tuesday, Aug. 10, 1999 | 10:04 a.m.

A brother of the 14-year-old boy who was found shot to death in his Nellis Boulevard home last Friday has admitted to accidentally shooting his younger sibling, Metro Police say.

Jermaine Norton, 14, was found dead by police in an apartment in the 3000 block of South Nellis Boulevard around 11:15 p.m.

His 19-year-old brother has admitted he was playing with a semiautomatic pistol when it discharged, striking Jermaine in the head and killing him, police said.

Another 21-year-old brother had said he had left Jermaine in the apartment shortly after 9:30 p.m. to go to the store, and when he returned, he found his brother dead.

When police arrived at the apartment, they found a gun in the hand of the dead 14-year-old, although investigators did not believe that Norton committed suicide, Lt. Wayne Petersen said.

Investigators now say that the 21-year-old and the 19-year-old brother were both home at the time of the shooting.

Police say the 19-year-old then left the apartment, and the 21-year-old, in an attempt to cover for his brother, called police to report finding Jermaine dead.

The 19-year-old walked into the Clark County Detention Center Saturday afternoon and admitted he shot his brother, police said.

He was booked on unrelated felony warrants.

Police say the 21-year-old has told police that he concocted the story about going to the store to conceal his brother's actions. Jermaine Norton lived in the apartment with the 21-year-old and his girlfriend.

The case has been handed to the district attorney's office to determine if any charges will be filed against the brothers. Police are not releasing their names because they have not been arrested or charged in connection with Jermaine Norton's death.