A 19-year-old man is behind bars after police say he fatally shot his girlfriend in the head during a sleepover at her home early last Thursday morning. Sebastian Prestridge has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Nina Ramirez, also 19, in Lawrenceville, Georgia.
Lawrenceville Police Department officers responded to a report that a teenage girl had been shot by her boyfriend shortly before 1:30 a.m. at a family home. Upon arrival, they found Ramirez with a gunshot wound to the head. Emergency medical personnel pronounced her dead at the scene.
“This is an incredibly tragic situation, and our hearts go out to the victim’s family and loved ones,” said Captain Dena Pauly, Public Information Officer for the Lawrenceville Police Department. “Our investigators are working diligently to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding this young woman’s death.”
READ: Naked Florida Man Arrested After Chasing Walmart Employees In The Parking Lot
According to Nina Ramirez’s mother, Maria Carmen Ramirez, the couple was having a sleepover with a group of friends when the tragic incident occurred. In an interview with WSB-TV, Maria Carmen Ramirez said her daughter and Prestridge were “playing” with a gun that belonged to one of the friends, unaware it was loaded.
Prestridge was reportedly present when police arrived and cooperated with the officers. He was eventually detained and charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter. He is currently being held without bond at the Gwinnett County Jail.
Despite the loss of her daughter, Maria Carmen Ramirez expressed a lack of anger toward Prestridge, telling WSB that he loved her daughter.
She suggested the shooting was an accident, stating, “When you get mad and these things happen, you want to find someone guilty, but I think it was just an accident.”
READ: Florida Mother Faces Felonies After Violent Arrest At School; Attorney Ben Crump Steps In
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
