Man arrested after teen dies of apparent self-inflicted gunshot at Irvine home, authorities say

IRVINE, Calif. (KABC) -- A 56-year-old man has been arrested after a 13-year-old died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in Irvine, authorities said.

The incident happened around 2:40 p.m. Thursday at a home just off Heathergreen and Weepingwood streets, according to the Irvine Police Department.

When officers arrived at the home, they found the middle schooler suffering from a gunshot wound. He died a short time after that.

Investigators believe it was self-inflicted, but could not say if it was accidental or intentional. The boy, whose name has not been released, was an eighth grader at South Lake Middle School.

Authorities say the tragic incident was very preventable as the gun that was used, a revolver, was in a cup on a nightstand.

One adult and two other juveniles were in the home at the time, but the teen who died did not live there. He was visiting his friends.

Investigators learned that the firearm belonged to Christian Douglas Yeager, who lives at the home. He was at work at the time of the shooting.

He was arrested after officers found multiple firearms left unsecured and loaded in his room. He's now facing charges of criminal negligence for not securing the weapons and child endangerment.

In wake of the deadly incident, authorities are stressing the importance of securing weapons and talking with children about gun safety.

"Most of the time when you purchase a weapon, it comes with lock," said Karie Davies with the police department. "And it's stressed that when it's not in use it shouldn't be loaded, it shouldn't be accessible, it should be stored in a safe manner... I just feel like this is something that people need to hear, they need to be reminded. Talk to your kids."

Principal Belinda Averill of South Lake Middle School issued the following statement:

"Our South Lake school community is heartbroken by the loss of our student. During this difficult time, we are committed to supporting the mental health and well-being of students. School counselors, the mental health team, and support staff have been on campus throughout the day, offering grief counseling and assistance to both students and staff. We encourage all students to reach out for support now or in the weeks ahead. We have also communicated with our families, asking them to check in with their children, as grief can affect students in different ways. Along with resources shared yesterday, we will provide families with additional information and resources to help support their children over the Spring Break."