Authorities say a 9-year-old Pacific County boy was critically injured after being accidentally shot by his older brother on Friday afternoon.Is failure to supervise target practice a felony in Washington? In this case it certainly should be.
The older boy, who is 10, was outside and practicing target shooting with a .22 rifle in an unincorporated-area near Raymond when his younger brother asked their stepfather if he could go outside as well, said Pacific County Sheriff Scott Johnson.
The boy received permission, Johnson said, and headed towards a rope swing that was about three to four feet away from the older boy’s target.
The 9-year-old had his hand on the rope when he was shot in the chest, according to Johnson. He was taken to a local hospital and then airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where he has undergone three surgeries so far, Johnson said.
Johnson said that the 10-year-old will not be facing criminal charges, but Child Protective Services and the county’s prosecuting attorney has been notified because no adults were supervising the target practice.
This is the fifth accidental shooting of a child in Washington since February.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
