Friends Say Football Player Accidentally Killed Twin Brother

A star high school player in Philadelphia is accused of one of the rarest kinds of murder: the killing of his own twin. Fayaadh Gillard, 18, was arrested Monday and charged with the murder of his brother, Suhail Gillard, who was also a star player at Mastery Charter North High School, NBC News reports. Police say Suhail was shot in the chest at a residence Sunday evening and died in the hospital hours later. His brother was also charged with possession of a weapon, lying to officials, and obstruction of justice. Friends say the shooting must have been an accident. Fayaadh was released on bail Tuesday, which suggests the charges will be downgraded to manslaughter or third-degree murder.

A court source tells the Philadelphia Inquirer that the twins' father was present when the shooting occurred and had been showing his sons how to handle a gun. A sobbing Fayaadh led students and faculty in a tribute to his brother at the campus Wednesday, the Inquirer reports, with cries of "Long live Su! Long live Su!" heard. Trenton Williams, one of four team captains, says Suhail was like a brother to him and he is "heartbroken" by the shooting. "I know Fayaadh didn’t do it on purpose. I know it was an accident. That’s his twin. His twin would never do that," he says. "They had much love for each other. I just cried my eyes out." (This Hawaii woman was acquitted of killing her twin.)