MONTREAL — A 12-year-old boy has been charged with manslaughter after his 16-year-old brother was shot in the head Monday evening.

The boy, who cannot be named under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, is also accused of use and possession of a prohibited weapon, which police say was a handgun.

He faces a maximum of three years in youth detention if convicted.

Police have ruled out murder, but Crown attorney Marie-Claude Bourassa said the charges are nonetheless "very serious," which is why she says the Crown opposes bail.

The boy's relatives, including both his parents, packed the courtroom. He was remanded into custody and was to return to court Friday for a bail hearing.

The older boy was fatally shot in the head around 6 p.m. in a suburban neighbourhood near Trudeau Airport west of Montreal. Police questioned his younger brother until 5:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Family members were in tears Tuesday morning at the home of the father, who lived in another house not far from the mother's home.

An aunt of the boys on the father's side said she was shocked there was a gun in the house.

"I don't understand why there was a gun in the house," she said.

"We're against weapons. If we'd known that there was one, we would have gotten rid of it or called the police."