SPRING, TX. (THECOUNT) — Makaila Simon has been identified by family members as the Lamar High School junior shot dead by 17-year-old, Javon Martin.

Martin was charged with criminal negligent homicide, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said, following a Spring, Texas shooting that fatally wounded Simon early morning Sunday.

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The fatal shooting occurred around 1:30 a.m. Sunday at a home on Kimberly Glen Lane near Postwood Glen Drive.

The suspect and the victim had been engaged in a brief relationship, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a tweet.

@SheriffEd_HCSO Update on Kimberly Glen: 17-yr old male & 15-yr old female, said to be dating. Male retrieves & discharges a firearm striking the female. Female is confirmed deceased. Motive is unknown. Multiple people were in the home at time of incident. Investigation is underway #HouNews

The girl’s mother identified her as a 9th grader at Lamar High School, reports click2houston.

The distraught mother said said her daughter had just celebrated her 15th birthday Saturday at the Cheesecake Factory.

According to investigators, Martin was handling a rifle when he jokingly pointed it at Simon and pulled the trigger.

Simon was pronounced dead at the scene of gunshot injuries.

“They were inside a bedroom. There were other people home at the time and our condolences go out to the family,” Sheriff Gonzalez said.

Developing.

Geo quick facts: Spring is a census-designated place within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston in Harris County, Texas, United States, part of the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area. The population was 54,298 at the 2010 census – Wikipedia.