ID of teen killed in gun cleaning incident released

FORT WAYNE. Ind. (WANE)  - An investigator with the Allen County Coroner's Office has identified the person killed in an apparent gun cleaning incident over the weekend as Heath Bumgarner, 18, of Uniondale, Indiana.  His death has been ruled a homicide.

Bumgarner passed away Sunday afternoon.

According to the Indiana State Police, at approximately 1:15 p.m. on Saturday Bumgarner and a19-year-old friend were at a residence in the 3200 block of West County Road 600 N, just outside of Markle in Wells County,

As the two were cleaning handguns, an apparent accidental discharge occurred. As a result, the Bumgarner was shot in the head with what appeared to be a .45 caliber bullet from the handgun that his friend was handling.

Bumgarner was taken immediately to a Fort Wayne hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. He succumbed to his injuries on Sunday afternoon.

No arrests have been made and while police believe it appears to be an accidental shooting, an investigation into the incident is under way.