Older brother of 12-year-old shooting victim in Boston pleads not guilty to firearms charges

A Boston man pleaded not guilty to weapons charges Friday after his 12-year-old brother was found fatally shot at home.

Walter Hendrick, 22, was arraigned in Dorchester Municipal Court on charges of improper storage of a firearm potentially accessible to someone under the age of 18; unlawful possession of a firearm; and unlawful possession of ammunition. The judge set bail at $2,500.

Officers responding to a home in Mattapan at about 2 p.m. Thursday found the victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest, the prosecutor said. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Investigators found a gun in the home and Hendrick said it belonged to him, the prosecutor said. He kept it in a fanny pack, she said.

Authorities did not disclose who fired the gun.

Morjieta Derisier, Hendrick's attorney, asked that her client be released on personal recognizance as he has no criminal record and his family wants him at home.

“As you can tell, this is a tragic situation. Mr. Hendrick’s just lost his younger brother,” she said in court. “He’s supported here by his family who is sitting in the front row. They want him home."

The victim was described by his grandmother, Diane Ellis, as “helpful, loving and respectful." She said she feels "numb" while talking with reporters outside of court.

Mayor Michelle Wu called the boy's death a “nightmare.”

“It’s a horrible tragedy for the entire city whenever anyone of our young people is lost," she said in a news conference at the scene Thursday. “In the summer when our kids should be enjoying, having fun, playing and growing, this is especially a nightmare for a mom and for a family.”