Merlin, Ore., — A follow up to a story we first brought you last night.
We’re learning more about a Josephine County teenager who police say died at a New Years Eve party when he accidentally shot himself.
NBC5 spoke on the phone with 16-year-old Nathan Lewis’ mother.
She says right now they don’t know anything more about what happened than what police have told them.
What she can tell us, is he was at a friend’s house on Robertson Bridge Road in Merlin on New Years Eve when she got a phone call around ten p-m from one of his friends.
The parents weren’t home at the time.
Nathan’s mom lives in Alaska, while he lives in Grants Pass with his dad, she hasn’t seen him in person in over a year.
“He was growing into a wonderful young man, he was very smart, he was very brilliant. Very outgoing, he brought the sunshine into the room every single time.” said Clintonette Gregg, Nathan’s mother.
Gregg says Nathan was fully trained in gun safety, so it doesn’t make sense to their family, and is appalled and disgusted that a gun was accessible in the house.
This is still an ongoing investigation and we’ll bring you more information as it becomes available.
The family has set up a GoFundMe to help with bringing Nathan back to Alaska and funeral expenses.
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