Harnett teen charged in fatal shooting of 15-year-old friend

A Harnett County teen was arrested and charged Monday in the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy at a home outside Lillington last month, authorities said.

Posted 8:31 p.m. Dec 11, 2017 — Updated 6:06 p.m. Jul 13, 2018

LILLINGTON, N.C. — A Harnett County 16-year-old was arrested and charged Monday in the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy at a home outside Lillington last month, authorities said.

Emmanuwell Leigh Nelson, 16, of Lillington, was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Owen Caltagirone. The teen was being held Monday at the Harnett County Detention Center in lieu of a $400,000 bond, the sheriff's office said. The suspect was scheduled for a first appearance in court on Tuesday, according to the sheriff's office.

Deputies were called to a home at 2091 N.C. Highway 27 shortly before 1 a.m. on Nov. 13, and were headed there when they were flagged down by several people who had been administering CPR in the back of a truck to Owen. The people were taking the teen from the shooting site to Central Harnett Hospital when they stopped for the assistance of deputies and paramedics.

Caltagirone was pronounced dead at the scene. Sheriff Wayne Coats said later that the boy had been shot in the chest with a shotgun.

Immediately after the shooting, the sheriff's office said they were told that the shooting had been accidental.

The two teens were in a one-room building behind the house, which is where Caltagirone's parents and grandparents live. During their investigation, law enforcement authorities said they found several weapons in the building where the shooting occurred although it has not been publicly disclosed of who owned the weapons or why they were at the residence.

Caltagirone was a student at Star Academy, and grief counselors visited the school after the shooting occurred.

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