HUDSON — A 12-year-old boy shot his brothers, 6 and 16, then himself at his family's home Wednesday evening, according to Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco.
Kevin Pimentel died from self-inflicted injuries. Brady Pimentel, 6, also died from gunshot wounds. Trevor Pimentel, 16, was shot in the leg and called authorities about 6:19 p.m., moments after his brother opened fire, Nocco said.
"He calls up to tell law enforcement that his brother Kevin, who's 12 years old ... had just shot six-year old Brady," Nocco said.
When the first deputy arrived on scene, according to Nocco, he heard Trevor scream, "I've been shot. I've been shot." The Pimentels live at 16916 Bachmann Ave., Lot 8 in Hudson. Nocco said Trevor and Kevin were cooking dinner before the shooting, and investigators are still not sure what set off the violence.
The sheriff said the Pimentel family is cooperating but have been grieving and unable to provide many answers. Deputies had not determined where the gun came from Thursday morning.
"The mother's going through an absolute living hell right now," Nocco said. Helen Campochiaro works two jobs and was not home at the time of the shooting, according to the sheriff.
Reached by phone Thursday morning, a man who identified himself as Campochiaro's boyfriend declined to comment. A Department of Children and Families spokeswoman said neither the state agency nor the Pasco Sheriff's Child Protective Investigations Unit had any prior contact with the Pimentel family. Officials launched an inquiry after the shooting Wednesday, the spokeswoman said.
Court records indicate that the Campochiaro and the boys' father, Louis Pimentel, divorced in Dec. 2013 and agreed to split custody. Both lived in Port Richey at the time.
Authorities said Trevor was with his relatives Thursday. Nocco said the teen went through "a living nightmare." When investigators questioned him after the shooting, the sheriff said, Trevor's heart rate climbed to 185.
Deputies swarmed the Sugar Lane Mobile Home Park late Wednesday but details remained scant through the night. Nocco initially said the shooting was preceded by an argument over food, but he clarified Thursday that investigators were still trying to piece together what led Kevin to kill his brother, then himself.
Another resident of the home, an 18-year-old man, was also not home when the shooting occurred. Nocco declined to identify him Thursday,
Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning said Brady was a student at Hudson Elementary School and Kevin attended Hudson Middle School. Crisis teams and counselors were available to students and staff at both schools, he said. The two younger boys had also attended Fox Hollow Elementary School.
The sound of a gunshot Wednesday evening shocked Josh Hicks, 13, and his family, who live in a home behind the victims' property.
Hicks said he shared bus rides with Kevin to Hudson Middle School and characterized the 12-year-old as quiet. He said Kevin liked to listen to music and didn't often play outside with children in the neighborhood. Though he didn't know the boy well, he said, "I didn't think he would ever do something like this."
Times news researcher John Martin contributed to this report. Contact Claire McNeill at (727) 893-8321 or cmcneill@tampabay.com. Follow @ClaireMcNeill on Twitter. Contact Zachary T. Sampson at zsampson@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8804.
Pasco sheriff offers more details about Hudson murder-suicide that left two boys dead 03/26/15 [Last modified: Thursday, March 26, 2015 12:40pm]
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