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An eight-year-old girl from Jefferson County, Alabama, was killed by her 11-year-old neighbor with a shotgun, WBIR TV channel reported Sunday, citing the local sheriff.

According to Sheriff Bud McCoig, the girl's neighbor is a 5th grader at White Pine Elementary School. He used his father's "12-gauge single-shot shotgun" to shoot the girl, who lived next door, from his house.

The girl was found by local law enforcers on the ground wounded to her chest. She was transferred to the local hospital, where medical workers pronounced her dead.

The sheriff gave no details about the motives of the boy, but the neighbors said that the two children argued over a puppy, according to the TV channel.

After being charged with first-degree murder by a juvenile court, the boy was imprisoned. A hearing on his detention is scheduled for Monday morning.

At the moment, the investigation is being held to find out whether he suffers from any mental illness.