Sheriff: Intoxicated Indian Land man accused of shooting girlfriend while baby slept nearby

An Indian Land man is accused of being under the influence of alcohol and marijuana when he accidentally shot his girlfriend while their 9-month-old son was sleeping in the next room.

Russell Osborne, 35, of 512 Silver Run Road was arrested Sunday and charged with use of firearm while under the influence of alcohol or controlled substance, according to the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies were dispatched to Osborne’s home at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday in response to a report of a shooting. Osborne was the 911 caller.

Deputies found Osborne and his 28-year-old girlfriend, who lives with him. The couple’s baby was sleeping in another room at the time of the incident.

The woman had a gunshot wound to her neck so deputies performed CPR until EMS arrived, according to a press release.

The woman was airlifted to a hospital and is expected to survive. Details of her condition are not available.

Osborne told deputies he picked up his .22 caliber rifle thinking it was not loaded. He pulled the trigger and the rifle fired, striking the woman, the release states.

Authorities said Osborne appeared to be under the influence and admitted to investigators that he had been drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana.

“I am thankful this young lady survived this incident,” Sheriff Barry Faile said in a prepared statement. “I am proud of the efforts of our deputies to save her life until emergency medical personnel arrived. Alcohol and firearms do not mix, just as alcohol and automobiles do not mix.”

This story was originally published December 22, 2015 at 7:14 AM with the headline "Sheriff: Intoxicated Indian Land man accused of shooting girlfriend while baby slept nearby."