Deleon Alonso Smith: 19-year-old fatally shoots himself as he takes selfie with gun

Smith had two young children, according to his family

Forum Park Drive, the location of the apartment where the man shot himself (Google Maps )

A teenager in the US state of Texas has died after he fatally shot himself as he posed for a selfie with a gun.

Family members have identified the man to local news website Click2Houston as Deleon Alonso Smith.

Smith was taking photographs with a gun at an apartment in southwest Houston at around 1:30pm on Tuesday when the firearm accidentally went off, police have said.

The teenager died after the bullet pierced into his throat.

Smith's cousin was in another room when the gun fired, according to investigators.

The father-of-two was due to start college on Wednesday, according to his family.

Alma Douglas, the victim’s grandmother, said she saw her grandson on Monday as she celebrated her birthday.

“It's a numb feeling. It's still unbelievable,” she said.

No charges have been filed, as police attempt to pinpoint the origin of the gun.

The tragic incident comes after a Mexican man fatally shot himself by mistake as he posed for a selfie last August.

Oscar Otero Aguilar, 21, a vet, pointed the loaded gun at his face, and accidentally pulled the trigger, according to police. He died shortly after police officers arrived on the scene.

Neighbours alerted the police after they heard a gunshot, New York Daily News reported.