Teen accused of killing his grandmother on Mother’s Day

RED SPRINGS, N.C. (AP) - An 18-year-old is accused in the death of his grandmother in her North Carolina home on Mother’s Day.

Red Springs police said Justin Penn fatally shot Mary Penn, 77, on Sunday evening, according to news outlets. Officers found Mary Penn at her home with a gunshot wound to her upper body, WTVD-TV reported.

Justin Penn later admitted to police that he shot his grandmother, The Robesonian reported. Police Chief Ronnie Patterson told WRAL-TV that the Mother’s Day shooting was a tragedy Mary Penn’s family.

“We’re still trying to put the pieces together to find a motive of why he did it,” Patterson said.

Justin Penn was visiting Red Springs with his father to work on his grandmother’s house when the shooting happened, Patterson added. He did not reveal from where the teen was visiting from.

Penn was charged with murder and is being held without bond in a county detention center. It wasn’t immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could comment on his behalf.