Police have identified the teen responsible for shooting another teen in the Planet Fitness parking lot last week. 

According to the probable cause statement, a pair of friends found a gun in a ditch near Planet Fitness just before 10 p.m. Oct. 14.  

The discovery of the abandoned gun went rogue after one of the teens “began handling it recklessly” and said he accidentally discharged it into the leg of his friend, according to the probable cause statement. 

Witnesses nearby called the police to report sounds of shots being fired. When police arrived, they found a 17-year-old “in severe pain” lying next to a vehicle with a gunshot wound on his leg. 

The older of the two friends, 18-year-old Julian Lovelace, was found by his vehicle. Lovelace admitted to accidentally discharging the gun and returning it to the ditch instead of helping his wounded friend. 

The injured teen was taken to the hospital in stable condition with a moderate amount of blood loss and a gunshot wound to his upper right thigh. 

Police recovered the handgun and Lovelace was booked into Pinal County Adult Detention Facility on suspicion of unlawful discharge, disorderly conduct, endangerment, aggravated assault and tampering with evidence. 

Maricopa Police Department referred the case to the Pinal County Attorney’s Office.