JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - A Jacksonville teen is facing charges after authorities say he fatally shot his girlfriend while the two were smoking marijuana and playing with a gun.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office reports that 18-year-old Elgardo Garcia and 17-year-old Jaylene Cruz were pointing the laser sight from the stolen .40-caliber handgun at each other Friday morning when Garcia pulled the trigger and shot Cruz in the face.
A sheriff's spokesman said during a news conference Monday that Garcia fled the home and threw the gun in a wooded area. Investigators found Garcia later Friday.
Authorities say Garcia initially denied playing with the gun but changed his story after detectives confronted him with social media photos of the couple pointing the gun at each other.
The sheriff's spokesman says the gun was reported stolen in an Orlando auto burglary last month.
Garcia was charged with manslaughter and tampering with evidence. He was being held without bond.
