I haven't watched this story as closely as I would like. But I have an opinion on it, and here it is.
I have a 9 yr old daughter, and so know quite a few kids in this age range. I'm also sorta a kid person. If there is a kid around, they almost always gravitate to me. My ex called me a kid magnent
My opinion is based on the kids I have known and the kid I once was. Kids of this age often have very intense tempers. They will lash out hard and fast at the smallest of indescretions. My daughter has told me she hates me over and over because I want her to take a shower. She will throw things around and slam her feet as she walks away from me.
After about 1/2 hour of TV or pouting, or whatever, she's fine and she loves me again.
My feeling is that this kid got pissed off about something (I'm sure more then the dad wanting him to take a shower, but you know) He knew where there was a gun and he went and used it. The first one probably scared the fuck out of him and in his fear/terror (or maybe even excitement) he went and did it again.
Unfortunately, killing someone doesn't end. That person is dead. That person is not going to get up and give you a hug and tell you it's ok. That's when he went to the neighbor and said that he believed his father was dead.
I am probably completely 100% wrong on this, but my imagination can see it happening. I'll say another thing too. I remember pointing a real rifle at another kid when I was this age. It was not loaded, but the kid was making me angry and I wanted him out of the house. I swore up and and down that it didn't happen later on, when the adults all got upset about it. But it actually did happen. I don't think I would have pulled the trigger if it were loaded, at least I remember thinking that I was just joking around at the time.
Scary shit. Especially since there's a boy that is apparently in love with my daughter right now. He's 11 and goes hunting with his dad. He's not happy because my daughter is not wanting to be a girlfriend right now. This story literally makes my blood
run cold