A teenage boy shooting guns in the Atlanta area was accidentally wounded Saturday when a gun discharged and a bullet struck him in the arm, according to Cowley County Sheriff Don Read.
The wounded boy is 15-years-old and his friend is 16. Neither boy is being identified by name because both are minors and neither will be charged with a crime.
"The bullet didn’t lodge in a bone and the injuries were not life threatening," Read said. "After talking with the boys and their parents, the injured boy was transported to the Wesley Medical Center ER by his parents."
Read said the boys were target practicing in a burn pit around 8 p.m. when the incident occurred. The younger boy had headed to a nearby vehicle for more ammunition and his friend soon decided to join him.
The older teen set his gun down on a small dirt mound and at some point the gun ? a 22-caliber rifle ? rolled off the mound and discharged. It’s believed the bullet ricocheted before striking the 15-year-old.
Read said the incident is a good time to offer a reminder about gun safety.
"Obviously you always have to be careful," he said. "It’s not a good idea to ever lay a loaded weapon down on the ground."
