Nicholas Nick McBride was a 12-year-old boy from Jasper, Texas, who died on July 26, 2019, after being accidentally shot in the head by a handgun. The shooting happened when Nicholas and a group of children found a handgun at a house and began playing with it; the gun fired and Nicholas was struck. He was taken to Christus Jasper Memorial Hospital and later flown to a Beaumont hospital, where he died.

The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office investigated and ruled the shooting accidental, concluding there was no criminal intent. No arrests were made and no suspects were identified. The community held a prayer vigil at Sandy Creek Park attended by more than 200 people; friends and family remembered Nicholas as respectful, kind, and funny. Authorities also reminded residents about free gun locks and the importance of securing firearms.

Nicholas’s parents say they remain frustrated by a lack of communication from local officials as they seek more answers. Does anyone in Jasper have information about unsecured firearms in the neighborhood at that time or memories of what happened that day?