Police: Teen shot brother, 6, to death as tot played video games

GULFPORT, Miss. -- A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for a 16-year-old accused of fatally shooting his 6-year-old brother as the child played video games.

The Sun Herald reports Albert Deonte Craft III faces a manslaughter charge in the death of Zaylan Sparkman. Harrison County prosecutor Herman Cox says Craft will likely have a preliminary hearing before a Justice Court judge next Wednesday.

Craft said in a sworn statement that he pointed a .38-caliber handgun at Sparkman to scare him. Craft said he pulled the trigger once, but the gun didn't fire. The second time Craft pulled the trigger, the gun fired a bullet into the child's stomach.

Gulfport police Chief Leonard Papania says Craft illegally obtained the handgun that was used to shoot his brother.

Papania said police kept the young victim in their thoughts as they investigated. "Anytime a child is shot, it's critical," Papania remarked to CBS Biloxi, Mississippi affiliate WLOX-TV.

It's unclear if Craft has a lawyer.

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