North Dakota boy shoots self in leg

Children and teens often have access to loaded guns. This North Dakota boy shot himself in the leg while taking a long gun from a vehicle. From the article:

A 15-year-old Burleigh County boy accidentally shot himself in the leg.

Burleigh County Sheriff’s Major Les Witkowski said the boy is OK and has been released from the hospital.

Witkowski said the boy was taking a rifle out of a vehicle and accidentally fired the gun, which was a .22 caliber.

Sheriff’s deputies were called to St. Alexius at 8 p.m. Wednesday for the incident, which is not considered suspicious. Law enforcement always are informed when people with gunshot wounds go to the hospital.

Witkowski urged caution when dealing with firearms.

“You have to consider all guns as loaded,” he said.

Too often, loaded guns are discharged accidentally. Law enforcement officers understand the importance of treating all guns as if they are loaded. This 15 year old boy is lucky he wasn't injured more seriously or that someone else wasn't accidentally shot.