18-Year-Old Charged In Shooting Death Of 17-Year-Old In Dighton

DIGHTON (CBS) – An 18-year-old man has been charged in the shooting death of a 17-year-old in Dighton.

Michael Pacheco was shot and killed Tuesday evening in his home on Forest Street. According to a police report, 18-year-old Joseph Medeiros told Dighton Police, "I accidentally shot my friend."

Five friends were sitting at the kitchen table and Medeiros allegedly pulled out a 9mm handgun.

"Mr. Pacheco, the deceased, says 'hey what are you doing with that, put it away.' This defendant complies and puts it away," Prosecutor Robert Digiantomaso said in court Wednesday.

About 20 minutes later, Medeiros pulled out the gun again.

"Sitting across the table was his friend Michael Pacheco, one shot was discharged from a Glock 9, struck Mr. Pacheco," Digiantomaso said.

On Wednesday, police searched in vain for the handgun. After he turned himself in Tuesday night, Medeiros said he threw the gun in the woods.

Medeiros, who is from Rehoboth, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, carrying an illegal firearm and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He is being held without bail.

Pacheco was a student at Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School.

"We are saddened by the news that one of our Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School students has fallen to gun violence. Unfortunately, we are now trying to make sense out of another life lost needlessly and ended at a remarkably young age," Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District Superintendent Anthony Azar said in a statement Wednesday.

"Our prayers and thoughts are with the victim and the victim's family at this time. I would ask, once again, that we use this tragedy as a reflective piece to ensure that it never is repeated again."

Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District will provide grief counselors for anyone who needs them on Thursday at the high school beginning at 7:30 a.m.