Injury is not life threatening, gun owner may face charges.

 

 

A Canyon Country 13 year old was injured Sunday after a gun being handled by his 12 year old cousin apparently accidentally discharged striking the victim in the head. 

 

Deputies from the Santa Clarita Sheriff's station first got involved after they were sent to the hospital after getting reports of a youth with an apparent gunshot. 

 

Through additional investigation and follow-up, the deputies determined the two boys were apparently playing with the loaded gun on Sunday morning at a residence in the 15000 block of Violetlane Way, Canyon Country, when the gun accidentally went off and struck the victim. 

 

The bullet apparently entered near the boy's temple and exited near his eye.  The injury was not life threatening and he is expected to make a full recovery.      

Deputies recovered the firearm and the bullet at the location and investigators are considering felony charges against the gun's owner and resident for Criminal Storage of a Firearm. 

 

[view:node_ad=5]Under California Law, if a person keeps any loaded firearm within any premise which is under their custody or control and they know or reasonably should know that a child (person under 18 years of age) is likely to gain access to the firearm, they may be guilty of a felony if a child gains access to that firearm and thereby causes death or injury to any person unless the firearm was in a secure locked container or locked with a locking device that rendered it inoperable. 

 

Deputies from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station are encouraging all gun owners to review their current gun safety and storage protocols in order to ensure the safety of all residents in the Santa Clarita Valley.