Every year, nearly 3000 children and teens die from gunfire, and nearly 14,000 are injured.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Two Oregon teens shot by neighbor because of party noise

Christopher Carson, age 14, and April Hamilton, age 16
A man in Springfield, Oregon, didn't like the noise coming from next door.  About a dozen teens were at the party.  The man came out to  the road between the homes, armed, and yelled at the teens to be quiet.  A confrontation ensued, and the man pulled out a gun.  He tried to shoot one teen in the chest, but the gun misfired.  The other teens ran, but the man opened fire on them, hitting one 14-year old boy, Christopher Carson, in the rear and hitting a 16-year old girl, April Hamilton, in the thigh.

The man is currently free, pending an investigation.

From an article and news video:
"First thing I seen was having the gun pointed to my friend's chest, and I was in shock," Carson said. "He pulled the trigger and nothing came out - I just heard a click."

Carson said he ran, then heard three shots.

The rest is a blur.

The shooting happened on 6th Street in Springfield. Witnesses said a man came out of a house carrying a gun and approached members of a party going on at another house.

That's when a confrontation started that ended in gunfire.

"It all happened in the middle of the road," said April Hamilton, 15. "That's where I got shot."
    
Hamilton said the bullet is still lodged in her left thigh.

"I think he was coming out to tell us to be quiet, but I have no idea why he brought a gun," she said.

Police have not released the shooter's name. He was released after questioning. Information has been sent to the district attorney for review.

KVAL News knocked on the man's door to get his side of the story.

"I do not wish to share that story with you," he said from behind a closed door.

No charges have been filed.

Hamilton's friends and family aren't happy.

"No charges have been filed! Why?" said Tawnya Thirachith, Hamilton's aunt. "Two innocent children got shot here."

A related article, which gives Christopher's age and describes how he was not one of those who confronted the neighbor, but rather went to the aid of April after she was shot, only to be shot as well.

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