High school basketball star with 3.8 GPA fatally shot by his own brother

High school basketball star with 3.8 GPA fatally shot by his own brother

By Your Black World

The brother who fatally shot a Hyde Park Academy basketball star has been ordered held on $1 million dollars bond, according to police.

Michael D. Whitney, 19, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter of a family member and unlawful use of a weapon after a gun that he was playing with discharged and fatally wounded his brother, 16-year-old Malcolm Whitney.

Michael found his dad’s gun in a drawer at their home and began playing with it. He attempted to remove the clip before horsing around with it, but failed to check for additional bullets already in the chamber.

Michael began teasing his brother Malcolm with the gun while Malcolm was in the bathroom. When Malcolm attempted to grab the gun, it went off, striking him in the head.

Michael initially moved his brother’s body and lied to police, saying a stray bullet came in through the window and struck his brother in the head. Cooke County prosecutors say he later confessed to shooting his brother.

Malcolm’s death has been ruled a homicide.

“[Malcolm Whitney] was a model student-athlete, any coach would be happy to have him. He had a 3.8 GPA,” said Hyde Park Academy basketball coach Antoine Samuels on Friday.