A 14-year-old New Orleans boy was shot in the head early Friday morning after a homeowner said the unarmed teen was trying to break into his house.

Homeowner Merritt Landry, 33, who lives in Marigny, allegedly shot Marshall Coulter after fearing for his safety, and told friends and family he thought the teen had a gun. Louisiana's Castle statutes — which carry subtle differences from the now-notorious Stand Your Ground laws — allow the state's residents to use force, "deadly or otherwise, to protect oneself on his or her property."

Despite invoking the law, Landry was charged with second-degree murder. The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that Coulter remains in critical condition. Family members told the paper that while he can slightly move the right side of his body, he would have severe brain damage if he survives.