11-year old West Virginia boy shot and killed by grandmother shooting at perceived intruders

An 11-year old boy, William Owens, was sleeping in his bed at home in Jarvisville, West Virginia, when his father and grandmother thought they heard noises outside.

That's when his grandmother went outside with her .40-caliber pistol and shot into the dark and the perceived intruders.

One of the bullets entered the boy's home through the wall and struck him in the chest, killing him.

Police found no signs of any intruders.

From an article:

Sheriff Albert Marano said Tina Owens, 57, had gone outside her house at around 11:30 Sunday night after hearing some noises. The sheriff said Owens and her son, who lives next door about 200 yards away, thought there were intruders around their homes tampering with property. 

“Tina went outside to investigate, in doing so she brought a 40-caliber pistol with her,” the sheriff said. “Upon hearing what she thought were intruders she fired her 40-caliber several times in an attempt to scare the intruders away. One of the shots went through her son’s residence and struck the victim, William Owens, in the chest while he lay in bed.” 

Owens, 11, was sleeping.

Harrison County Prosecutor said he will seek criminal indictment of Owens in the death of her grandson, William. He said it was a difficult but necessary decision because the case could have resulted in injuries to even more people. 

"It's an important public issues," he said, "particularly concerning the responsibility that comes along with exercising your Second Amendment rights." 

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7-year old West Virginia boy fights for his life after being shot in the chest with a pellet gun

A 7-year old boy in Seth, West Virginia, was playing with a "high-powered pellet gun" with his siblings when one of the siblings pulled the trigger, and he was shot in the chest.  The boy is currently in the hospital in critical condition.

From an article:

Boone County Sheriff Rodney Miller was disturbed when he heard that the boy and his sibling were playing with the gun when it went off.

“We have a young child in the hospital with life-threatening injuries that was created by this weapon. Some people may call it a toy. Obviously it's not,” Miller said.

The shooting was accidental, but an investigation is still being launched. Deputies want to know where the adults were, and why the gun wasn't in a secure place.

“There's no excuse. It has to be done. We can't afford to let children injure themselves or each other by accident,” Miller said. “Weapons were only created for one reason and that's to kill; whether it's to hunt for game or for protection.”

Pellet guns don't fall under the same laws as other firearms; meaning there’s no license or training required.

However, law enforcement says those who buy these weapons still need to be extra careful; especially when children are around.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

8-year old girl shot in crossfire in West Virginia

An 8-year old girl was playing in a park in Martinsburg, West Virginia, at a Fourth of July celebration, when an argument between two men turned into gunfire.  She was hit in both thighs.  The shooter was a felon.

From an article:

Gabriel “Ziggy” McGuire, who was shot twice in the upper back, was treated at City Hospital and released, a hospital spokesman said Thursday.

The alleged shooter, Daniel Lee Herbert, 27, was in Eastern Regional Jail on Thursday night on a $300,000 cash bond set by Berkeley County Magistrate Harry L. Snow, according to jail and court records.

Herbert was arraigned on two counts of malicious wounding, three counts of wanton endangerment and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Herbert, who pleaded guilty to felony counts of aggravated robbery, grand larceny and conspiracy to kidnapping in 2003 in Berkeley County Circuit Court, was released from state prison in February, according to court records.
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Dorsey said she didn’t know McGuire or Herbert, but acknowledged they were close to the pavilion where family and a few friends had gathered to celebrate.

Her daughter was playing when she was shot, which Dorsey said was “a parent’s worst nightmare.”

“I was shocked, traumatized ... ,” Dorsey said.
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“You try to put on a nice family event ... people shouldn’t have to worry about something like this,” Catlett said of Wednesday’s shooting.

The incident happened just as the park was starting to get busy, although the heat had lowered the turnout for the annual Fourth of July celebration, Catlett said.

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