An 18-year-old Ohio man is charged with reckless homicide after a 15-year-old girl was shot to death in a Northwood apartment on Friday, police said. Officers arrested Jakob Heintzelman the next morning; the victim was identified as Symini Rai Moore, an honor student at Woodmore High School.
Lake Township police said the shooting unfolded Jan. 23 inside a unit in the Northwood area of Wood County. The case is in the early investigative stage, with detectives collecting statements from witnesses who were present and reviewing evidence from the apartment. Authorities said the teen suspect told officers the gun discharged while he was cleaning it. A judge later ordered Heintzelman held on a reckless homicide count while prosecutors evaluate additional evidence and await lab work. Community tributes began over the weekend as classmates and staff mourned Moore’s death.
Police said four people were inside the apartment when the gun fired: Moore; Heintzelman; his girlfriend; and another male. Officers and medics responded after a 911 call Friday evening and found Moore with a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators secured the apartment overnight, photographed rooms and collected the firearm, ammunition and clothing for testing. Detectives also canvassed the complex for surveillance video and requested phone records to map communications among those present before and after the shot.
In interviews summarized by investigators, Heintzelman said the weapon fired as he attempted to clean it. Police did not immediately specify the firearm type, caliber or who owned it. Detectives are reviewing how the gun was stored, who handled it, and whether it was loaded in the moments before it fired. Authorities said alcohol and drug screens are routine in fatal-shooting investigations; results were not immediately available. No additional arrests had been announced as of Tuesday evening. Officials said witness statements would be compared against physical evidence, including trajectory analysis and residue tests, to build the case file.
Moore was a sophomore at Woodmore High School and active in school activities, according to relatives and public remembrances. Friends described her as diligent and upbeat. A community fundraiser began circulating online as vigils formed in nearby Woodville and Northwood. School officials said counselors were available for students this week, and teammates shared remembrances that referenced her volunteer work and plans for the spring semester. The family said funeral arrangements would be announced after the coroner’s office completes its work and releases her remains.
Reckless homicide in Ohio generally applies when a death results from reckless conduct. Prosecutors will present initial facts to a judge for bond determinations and may seek a grand jury review to consider formal indictment. Court records indicated bond was set with conditions, including electronic monitoring if released, in line with local practice for felony cases involving firearms. Investigators said they are still reconstructing the timeline in the apartment and have asked residents of the complex to share any video recorded near the time of the shooting.
The small apartment complex sits off a two-lane road with a central lot and clustered entrances. Neighbors reported police lights and crime-scene tape into the night as technicians moved bags and boxes of evidence to marked units. A resident who declined to be named said officers went door to door asking about visitors to the building that afternoon. By morning, chalk and evidence placards marked areas inside the unit as detectives returned to complete measurements with daylight.
Authorities have not released a finalized cause and manner of death from the Lucas County coroner, who is assisting in the case. A preliminary investigative summary pointed to a single gunshot. The police chief said more information would be released once testing is complete and after additional interviews with those who were present. Officials did not discuss prior calls for service at the address or whether the parties involved had any documented disputes before Friday’s shooting.
As of Wed., Jan. 28, investigators said the reckless homicide charge remains in effect and that the case will be prepared for grand jury consideration after lab results and forensic reports are returned. A subsequent court date is expected to be scheduled once prosecutors file their initial charging documents with the clerk’s office.
Author note: Last updated January 28, 2026.