A grieving sister says her 15-year-old brother, Christian Chavez, was more than just a sibling — she was like a second mother to him. Now, she is left heartbroken after his life was cut short by a gunshot wound to the head.
Christian Chavez, a student at East Naples Middle School, was found dead Monday behind a clubhouse in Collier County. A handgun was discovered next to his body. Authorities say he was shot by a 13-year-old friend, identified as Irving Jimenez Lopez.
"He broke this family apart," said Priscella Lopez, Christian’s oldest sister. "I don't think we’ll ever be able to move on from this."
According to a 911 call released by the sheriff’s office, a caller reported hearing a gunshot before deputies responded to the scene. Lopez, the 13-year-old suspect, allegedly fled but was arrested about a mile away. He now faces a manslaughter charge. Another minor at the scene was cited for possession of a loaded firearm.
Deputies have classified the shooting as accidental, but Priscella Lopez said she believes otherwise.
"No, you decided to do that move," she said. "There is no saving from this. That's just called death. And everything just happened so fast. It's very hard to process all this."
Lopez said her brother had dreams of graduating and building a future — dreams that were taken from him far too soon.
"He still had a long way to go," she said. "He still needed to go and get that diploma."
The Chavez family is now demanding answers: how did a 13-year-old gain access to a firearm?
"We just want justice," Priscella said. "He didn’t deserve to die that way. Nobody does."
The Collier County Sheriff’s Office has not released further details about how the teen obtained the weapon.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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