15-year-old dies after his dad, a police officer, accidentally shoots him, NC cops say
A teenager has died after his dad, a police officer, accidentally shot him in Eastern North Carolina, officials told news outlets.
The 15-year-old son’s death was announced more than a week after he was shot in the head and rushed to a hospital on Dec. 27, according to the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office.
At the time of the incident, deputies said the shooter was a police officer for the city of Jacksonville. In response to a request for comment, the city’s police department on Dec. 30 told McClatchy News an officer was on administrative leave.
“We ask for prayers for the family during this time,” the Jacksonville Police Department wrote in an emailed statement.
Deputies on Dec. 28 said a preliminary investigation showed “that the incident was an accidental” handgun shooting that happened at a home roughly 110 miles southeast of Raleigh.
“The caller is advising that it’s going to be accidental,” someone said in a sheriff’s office dispatch recording, according to WITN. “They were advising they were playing with toy guns. Somehow they’ve had a gunshot wound.”
The teenager reportedly was in life-threatening condition when he was taken to a trauma center on the Camp Lejeune military base and then to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville. Deputies later said the 15-year-old had died, according to The Daily News.
In response to requests from McClatchy News, the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office didn’t immediately share additional information, and Jacksonville police didn’t immediately share an updated comment on Jan. 7.
This story was originally published January 7, 2022 at 11:03 AM with the headline "15-year-old dies after his dad, a police officer, accidentally shoots him, NC cops say."
