7-year-old accidentally shot by 9-year-old sibling recovering after surgery
SNELLVILLE, Ga. - Police say the 7-year-old accidentally shot in the face by their 9-year-old sibling at a Chipotle in Gwinnett County is expected to recover. The child underwent emergency surgery at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston.
Meanwhile, Snellville police are trying to decide if parents will be charged. Police said the mother went into the restaurant located along Scenic Highway around 4:06 p.m. Sunday to get food. That is when the boys found the gun under the driver's seat and the 9-year-old shot the 7-year-old. Angelica Lewis told police her fiancé, Leonard Galley normally drives the car.
9-YEAR-OLD ACCIDENTALLY SHOOTS 7-YEAR-OLD INSIDE CAR WHILE ADULT PICKED UP FOOD, POLICE SAY
Snellville police investigate an accidental shooting of a 7-year-old by their 9-year-old sibling in the parking lot of a restaurant on Jan. 30, 2022. (FOX 5 / FOX 5 Atlanta)
Customers leaving the Snellville restaurant had mixed ideas about whether the parents should be charged.
"Parents have to be very careful and vigilant about gun safety around children. It's very important to keep them locked up, but what I've heard so far it seems like an accident," Scott Redmon insisted.
"Nine and seven, they are innocent, they are children. Things happen, it probably wasn't stored away properly, but it is an accident," Bianca Ramsay said with regret.
Police said the car and the gun belonged to the children’s stepfather, Leonard Galley. Detectives have to weigh the evidence and determine whether either or both of the adults, who are in a relationship, will be charged.
"That's hard to say. I am a mother. I wouldn't want to be charged. Number one: it wasn't my gun and number two: it was really an accident." customer Tyler Jenkins commented.