Charges unlikely in accidental shooting of juvenile in New Carlisle

Police headlights. FILE

Police headlights. FILE

Charges are unlikely regarding a 10-year-old injured in an accidental shooting over the weekend in New Carlisle, according to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

Detective Commander Lt. Kristopher Shultz said that the child, who is mentally disabled, is stable and recovering after surgery for the injury to their lower torso. The child was visiting family in the 800 block of Bayberry drive and accessed a gun that was secured in a locked vehicle’s glovebox. First responders were dispatched around 6 p.m.

“The child was able to get the car keys, which is not a normal or usual thing with this child,” Shultz said. “He acquired the car keys and was able to get into the vehicle.”

Shultz said with it having been a holiday weekend and other children going in and out of the house enjoying the nice weather, the 10-year-old was unsupervised for about a minute to a minute and a half, giving him time to access the gun.

“There wasn’t any kind of excessive or undue time frame where this child was out of sight,” Shultz said.

The incident is still being investigated but Shultz said he can say with “99% certainty going forward there will not be any kind of charges.”

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