Dad, a police officer, accidentally shoots teen son in head, North Carolina cops say
Update: More than a week after the shooting, deputies told multiple news outlets that the teen died. Click here to read more updates on the case.
Original story: A police officer accidentally shot his 15-year-old son in the head in Eastern North Carolina, officials said.
The teen was rushed to a hospital with a life-threatening injury after the shooting on Monday, Dec. 27, according to the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office.
The shooter was identified in a news release as a police officer working for the city of Jacksonville, roughly 120 miles southeast of Raleigh.
In response to a request for comment from McClatchy News, the Jacksonville Police Department in a Dec. 30 email said one of its officers was on administrative leave.
“We ask for prayers for the family during this time,” the statement said.
At about 4:30 p.m. Dec. 27, deputies responded to a reported handgun shooting at a home on Haw Branch Road. The son was taken to a trauma center on the nearby Camp Lejeune military base before he went to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, officials said.
“The victim is the son of the shooter and the investigation is continuing, but all preliminary indications are that the incident was an accidental shooting,” the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office said on Dec. 28.
Deputies in their news release didn’t share what led to the reported shooting but said “additional information will be released as it becomes available.” After the incident, the Fifth Prosecutorial District said it was in touch with the sheriff’s office and Jacksonville police.
“This is a tragic event and this matter remains under investigation by the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office,” district attorney Ernie Lee wrote in a Facebook post. “The reports, statements, and other evidence from the investigation will be provided to this office to determine what actions, if any, will be taken.”
This story was originally published December 29, 2021 at 8:51 AM with the headline "Dad, a police officer, accidentally shoots teen son in head, North Carolina cops say."
