VALDOSTA — Two teenagers playing around with a firearm turned to tragedy Wednesday night when a 14-year-old male accidentally shot and killed his 16-year-old male cousin, Valdosta police said.

The 14-year-old has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, Police Chief Brian Childress said.

The incident took place at a home in Cherry Creek Hills, a subdivision off of Cherry Creek Road.

Police have not released the names of the teenagers.

Childress said the two boys were messing with a rifle they didn’t know was loaded. The rifle discharged in the hands of the 14-year-old, wounding and killing the 16-year-old.

Childress said after the “tragic incident,” the family of the two boys has been “totally cooperative.”

Although charged with involuntary manslaughter, a felony charge, the 14-year-old was not incarcerated. He will appear at a Department of Juvenile Justice hearing Thursday, Childress said.

“Our stance has always been if a crime’s been committed, we file charges,” Childress said. “That’s what we did in this case. We talked to the family last night. They understand.”

Childress urged all households with guns present to keep firearms under lock and key to prevent such tragedies.