VALDOSTA – A 12-year-old was shot to death Tuesday and a 16-year-old is charged with second-degree murder following a series of auto break-ins, according to a Valdosta Police Department statement released Wednesday.

The youths were playing with guns stolen from the vehicles when one of the firearms discharged, police said.

Police have not released the names of the 12-year-old who died or the suspect who is charged as a juvenile.

At about 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 3, Valdosta police officers and detectives responded to a 911 call that a person had been shot at a 1000 block North Lee Street residence.

“When officers arrived on the scene, they located a 12-year-old male inside a residence, with a gunshot wound to his head,” police said. “Emergency Medical Services arrived on the scene and transported the victim to South Georgia Medical Center, where he was later pronounced deceased.”

Police investigators determined that the 12-year-old and the 16-year-old had broke into several vehicles during the previous night. They stole several firearms from the vehicles, police said.

“They returned to the 16-year-old’s residence, where they were in a bedroom playing with a couple of the stolen handguns,” police said. “The gun the 16-year-old was holding discharged, shooting the victim in the head.”

Police said investigators recovered six firearms from the residence; five were confirmed stolen overnight.

Authorities took the 16-year-old juvenile into custody without incident and he is being held at a regional youth detention center by the Department of Juvenile Justice.

The VPD worked with the Southern District Attorney’s Office.

The juvenile is charged with second-degree felony murder, second-degree felony cruelty to children, three counts of felony theft by entering auto, felony possession of a firearm by a minor and felony tampering with evidence, police said.

This case is still under investigation and further charges are pending.

“We are saddened by this tragic event that should not have happened. Our thoughts are with these two families whose lives have been changed forever in just a couple of seconds. I am proud of the dedicated work by our officers and detectives who continued to stay focused in light of the tragedy,” Police Chief Leslie Manahan said in a statement.