A 15-year-old Inverness youth is reportedly recuperating and doing well after suffering a gunshot wound to the right side of his forehead and left hand on Thursday.
According to a law enforcement account, the boy was airlifted to the Children's Hospital in Jackson as a result of being struck by a round from a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun.
A 16-year-old neighbor and relative of the boy, was arrested, transported to the Sunflower County jail and charged with aggravated assault. He had his initial appearance before Judge Kuykendall Murry on Friday and bond was set at $50,000.
The Enterprise-Tocsin has opted to not name either of the youths at this time.
Officer Irish Johnson said the 15-year-old juvenile has endured several surgeries.
He lost the use of his right eye and possibly the ring finger on his left hand. In a report submitted by Chief Albert Carter, the incident occurred shortly after 5 p.m., in the 400 block of Little Milton Street.
When police arrived, the young shooter allegedly told the officers, “You can just lock me up.” And after extending both hands to the police, he acknowledged, “I shot him, my friend.”
The boy then led police next door and showed them a hall closet where the gun was sitting.
He told police they were in the kitchen when he went to the closet, got the weapon, walked back into the kitchen where the other boy was standing and the gun went off.
He said he does not remember pulling the trigger, but when he realized what had happened, he walked the victim next door to get help.
In a separate interview, the 15-year-old victim stated that the 16-year-old was playing with the gun and shot him. He told police he was in the kitchen getting himself a bowl of cereal when the other teen got the shotgun and pointed it at him.
He alleged that he pushed the gun away and told the boy to get it out of his face. He said the 16-year-old told him it wasn’t loaded and pulled the trigger.
The 16-year-old boy has since bonded out of the county jail and the case is still under investigation.
