Authorities are conducting a full investigation into a shooting that injured a Winfield-area woman Sunday afternoon. It’s unclear so far whether any criminal charges will be filed in the case.
Though the shooting is thought to be accidental in nature, Cowley County Sheriff’s investigators will prepare a report on the incident that will be forwarded to the county attorney’s office for consideration, undersheriff Bill Mueller said Monday.
A 29-year-old Wichita man, who has not been identified by name, is the suspected shooter. He is fully cooperating with investigators.
“At this point, we haven’t even confirmed he’s the one who fired the shot,” Mueller said. “We have a good idea that is the case, but don’t know that for sure yet.”
At 12:50 p.m. Sunday, Jim Finney called emergency dispatchers to report that his wife, Susan Finney, 55, had been shot in the neck while in a vehicle traveling west on 182nd Rd., about a mile west of Cowley 1.
Finney was a front-seat passenger in a 2006 Chevy Trailblazer driven by her husband. Two other adult passengers were in the vehicle, along with a 9-month-old child.
The bullet struck the front passenger-side door just below the window. A search of the vehicle turned up a bullet under the parking brake.
The man suspected of firing the shot was found in an area about 1,200 feet north of the roadway, where he was doing some target shooting with a rifle. The road was not visible from his location due to numerous trees and brush.
The subject was unaware of what had happened when contacted by an investigator.
Finney’s son reported to NewsCow Monday that his mother was recovering but would require surgery.