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Adults charged in fatal Mount Pleasant shooting

By Olivia Goudy ogoudy@heraldstandard.Com 2 min read

Three adults were charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a 13-year-old boy in Mount Pleasant in March.

Police said 18-year-old Brooke Nelson, who lived at the South Church Street home as a “live-in caretaker,” allegedly wanted the 13-year-old victim, James “J.R.” Gustafson, out of the house on March 20.

Nelson allegedly allowed John Burnsworth, 14, to access a Springfield 9mm handgun to scare Gustafson into leaving the home. Neither of the boys lived at the home.

According to the complaint, Nelson told police that Burnsworth removed the clip from the firearm and told her, “I’ll scare him with this.”

Burnsworth allegedly pulled the trigger, fatally shooting Gustafson. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The owner of the gun was identified as 31-year-old Joshua R. Hudec, who also lived at the South Church Street home with Nelson. Police said Hudec kept the firearm fully loaded and in an unsecured location within easy access of the children.

Nelson and Hudec were both charged with five counts of endangering the welfare of children, five counts of recklessly endangering another person and a single count of possession of a firearm by a minor.

Police said Kristopher M. Lewis, 44, of Mount Pleasant was also charged for failing to properly transfer ownership of the firearm after he sold it to Hudec.

All three were arraigned Monday afternoon before Magisterial District Judge Roger Eckels in Westmoreland County.

In March, Burnsworth waived charges of criminal homicide and possession of a firearm by a minor. Though he is being tried as an adult, his attorney said during his March court appearance that he wanted to try to have the case transferred to juvenile court.

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