Teen to be tried as adult in accidental shooting of 2 friends

Jose Blanco will face 2 manslaughter charges in adult court

MIAMI – A 15-year-old who accidentally shot and killed two friends will be tried as an adult, a juvenile judge said.

Jose Blanco, 15, appeared in a Miami-Dade County juvenile court Tuesday morning when a judge confirmed that Blanco will be tried as an adult on two counts of manslaughter after he accidentally shot and killed two friends with one bullet as the three were playing in Blanco’s garage.

In late November, Jose Villareal, 15, and Julio Labrada, 14, were dropped off at Blnco’s southwest Miami-Dade County home in the early afternoon.

According to arrest documents, Blanco told detectives he was holding a gun in his garage when it fired.

The gun discharged one time with the bullet striking and killing his two friends.

Detectives searched the home and found two guns inside. The water heater was also removed from the garage as it had a bullet hole in it.


About the Author:

Christina returned to Local 10 in 2019 as a reporter after covering Hurricane Dorian for the station. She is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist and previously earned an Emmy Award while at WPLG for her investigative consumer protection segment "Call Christina."