A 15-year-old girl Anderson remains in critical condition at an Indianapolis hospital after accidentally shooting herself Monday afternoon.
Marissa Jones, 1516 Noble St., shot herself in the right leg after playing with the gun, said Detective Joel Sandefur, Anderson Police Department spokesman.
Sandefur declined to release the girl’s name, citing department policy because of her age, but family members and neighbors confirmed her identity.
Sandefur said Jones was spinning the Glock 9 mm handgun on her finger, and was sticking the gun into an imaginary holster on her right hip when she accidentally fired the gun.
“Believing it was unloaded when it was loaded,” he said.
The girl’s mother and stepfather, Fredricka and Sam King, could not be reached for comment. Family friend Dewight Streaty, who answered the family’s home phone when contacted by The Herald Bulletin, said they remained at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.
“She’s doing great,” Streaty said. “She’s doing pretty good.”
Police were called to the home at roughly 3:45 p.m. Monday, after receiving a report of the accidental shooting. Jones was initially taken to Saint John’s Medical Center, but then airlifted to Methodist.
Sandefur said the Glock and a second handgun, a .380-caliber automatic, were taken into police custody. While police are confident the shooting was accidental, he said the incident remains under investigation, and no arrests have been made.
“It’s a very unfortunate event,” Sandefur said. “It’s a reminder to homeowners that have handguns to properly store their handguns.”
Sandefur said free handgun, cable-style locks are available at the Anderson Police Department. The locks can also be used for some breach-loading rifles and shotguns. Anyone interested should go to the department’s front desk and ask for the juvenile section, which provides the locks.
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