WILTON MANORS, Fla. – A Broward judge on Thursday sentenced 17-year-old Herbe Belony in connection with the accidental shooting that killed his best friend, 16-year-old Christopher Granados, last year in Wilton Manors.
Recommended Videos
The judge ruled that Belony will spend between 18 to 36 months in a secure detention center.
Once released, he will be placed on electronic monitoring and will be prohibited from possessing guns or contacting the victim’s family.
Belony was also ordered to pay $500 per month in restitution toward the victim’s funeral expenses — a total of $12,800 — and is expected to get a job after his release to begin making those payments.
Local 10 News was at the emotional sentencing hearing on Thursday, where members of both families were in the courtroom. Neither family chose to speak publicly, but video from inside court showed relatives quietly observing as attorneys discussed what happened that day.
During the hearing, Belony’s attorneys recounted that he had called 911 after the shooting, sobbing and performing CPR on Granados in an effort to save him.
Police said both teenagers had been playing with guns inside a multi-family home near the 400 block of Northwest 25th Street when one of the weapons discharged, striking Granados around 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 16, 2024.
They said officers from the Wilton Manors and Fort Lauderdale police departments responded to the scene and Granados was transported to the hospital, where he died.
Broward Sheriff’s Office detectives said the shooting appeared accidental but took over the case due to the fatal outcome. Several teenage witnesses were interviewed during the investigation.
