7-year-old boy treated for ricochet bullet wound to the chest
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (July 8, 2024) – Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s officials say a seven-year-old Wayne Township boy is home recovering following a shooting incident Friday.
Sheriff Orvis Campbell says the boy was hit in the chest by a bullet that had ricocheted when his father was shooting a 9 mm handgun at a steel target. This happened in the 6800 block of Cement Bridge Road Northwest in the Dundee area around 5:30 p.m.
“Pretty early on we learned that the father who was outside with them was extremely distraught,” said Campbell. “Everything appears to be purely accidental.”
The boy was taken to be examined at Akron Children’s Hospital around 7:20 p.m. Friday for non-life-threatening injuries. Campbell says that’s when his office was notified.
Campbell doesn’t believe the father was acting carelessly, based on photographs of the scene.
“Generally, by looking at it, you would think that absolutely it’s a safe setup,” he said.
Campbell says fortunately the boy’s injuries were not severe.
“That situation just is always one of those things that reminds you that those freak things can happen and they’re tragic,” he said. “I think that in this case the family is so thankful that it didn’t end terribly.”
Campbell says the sheriff’s office will complete its investigation and then submit a report to the prosecutor to decide whether to consider charges.