VIDOR, Texas — A teenager was rushed to the hospital after accidentally shooting himself in the face Saturday morning, officials said.
Vidor Police Chief Rod Carroll said the 15-year-old was fishing when the shooting happened around 8:25 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 4
Chief Carroll said that the teen was talking to police when he was taken to the hospital.
"They were fishing, and they had taken a .22 (pistol) along with them," Carroll said. "One of the kids was playing with it and shot himself."
Police have not released the name of the teen.
The 15-year-old is in stable condition.
The incident happened on Old Spanish Trail at the intersection of Polly Street near Schoolhouse Ditch in Vidor. This is the second accidental shooting involving a teen in Southeast Texas in the last two weeks.
On Christmas Day, James Johnson, 15, died when a gun he believed to be unloaded went off in his 10-year-old cousin's hands.
Investigators say the whole thing appears to be a horrific accident.
Chief Deputy Scott Duncan with the Jasper County Sheriff's Department said the 15-year-old had been shot in the abdomen by a 9mm caliber firearm.
"So the 19-year-old gave the pistol to the 15-year-old, and then the 15-year-old gave it to the 10-year-old, and at that time the gun was, as we're seeing right now, accidentally discharged, striking the 15-year-old," Duncan said.
Chief Deputy Duncan says lately deputies have seen a lot of younger teenagers getting a hold of guns.
He encourages parents to educate their kids about firearms, and the right and wrong way to operate them, especially if you have one in your house.
From Vidor Police Department...
On Saturday, January 4, 2020, at approximately 8:25 AM, the Vidor Police Department Dispatch center received a call of an accidental shooting in the area of Old Spanish Trail and School House Ditch.
The reporting party advised that a 15 year old had accidentally shot himself while handling a loaded 22 caliber pistol. The child was transported to Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
As of this time the investigation shows that the 15 year old victim was fishing with a friend when he mis-handled the pistol causing it to fire. The friend immediately contacted 911 via his cell phone. The investigation is on-going.
