At 9:19 pm on Saturday, Alaska State Troopers received a report of the death of a 12-year-old girl who had died at the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital from a pellet-gun wound to the neck.

According to the trooper dispatch, the young girl, identified as Marina Rybak, had been transported to the hospital in Fairbanks from Delta Junction after she suffered the wound to her neck.

The young girl had been at a birthday party in Delta Junction late Saturday when she was accidently shot by a six-year-old boy. The pellet-gun used in the incident belonged to a relative of the six-year-old boy. He had gotten possession of the gun by another child at the party and was taking it inside when he inadvertantly pulled the trigger striking the young girl in the neck.

Troopers said that the boy did not know the pellet-gun was loaded and was unaware the girl was in front of the muzzle.

Adults were alerted of the accident immediatly after it took place.

The trooper investigation into the incident is continueing.