Tyler Gargus was found shot at a home located in the 9700 block of Stradley Road NE on Sunday at about 1:30 p.m., 10TV's Patrick Bell reported.

A 16-year old boy pleaded guilty in juvenile court to one count of negligent homicide, Bell reported.

When asked by the judge if he knew what a guilty plea meant, the boy said, "It means I did it."

The boy, a friend of Gargus, had a shotgun and "was not handling it safely" when it discharged, said Licking County Prosecutor Ken Oswalt.

10TV News is not naming the boy because he is a juvenile.

He is expected to be sentenced in about four weeks, 10TV's Cara Connelly reported.

Licking County sheriff's deputies said that Gargus, 17, did not live at the home where he was shot.

Friends at Heath High School were mourning Gargus' death.

"It's just strange to know that one minute he's walking to school, kicking it and having fun.  Next minute we find out he's dead.  It's shocking," said friend Rodney Porter. "It's unbelievable.  I was just with him on Friday."

Robert Sturkey said he and other friends of Gargus plan to clean out his locker today and return the items to his parents.

"He walked with me every day to school.  It's just weird that he's not here," Sturkey said. "It's hard.  We'd sit at lunch and have fun and talk about a lot of things.  And, it's just crazy."

Investigators were interviewing other people who were home at the time of the shooting.

Stay with 10TV News and refresh 10TV.com for additional information.

More Information:

• Newark Advocate:  Family, Friends Mourn Heath Teen

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