update: i got most of the story today from a friend of the kid.
apparently it was a pump action pellet gun. the kid's (rikell, i'm told his name was) best friend was pumping the gun a bunch and apparently had it pointed at rikell, and it randomly went off. shot him straight through his heart and the pellet exited out the back. the friend who shot him on accident is currently in the county jail, but they're going to release him monday since it was an accident.
a friend of the guy who told me what happened was there a few minutes before it happened, apparently. i'm told that he told the guys that they shouldn't point it at people because accidents happen all the time. apparently they didn't listen.