Mum Accidentally Shoots Teen Daughter After Mistaking Her For Intruder
Published
| Last updated
A teenager was accidentally shot by her mum after arriving home early from college as a surprise.
Eighteen-year-old Hannah, from Ohio, US, said she 'ran through the door with excitement' at her family home to surprise them, but her terrified mum thought she was an intruder and shot her.
In a post on Facebook, Hannah wrote: "As I ran through the door, she was in fear for her life and shot me."
Hannah's boyfriend called the emergency services and told the call handler: "My girlfriend just came home from college and her mom didn't know, like honestly - she accidentally shot her, and we don't know what to do."
When asked if Hannah was bleeding badly, he replied: "It's pretty bad."
The bullet hit Hannah in the right arm - leaving her elbow broken in three places, the New York Post reports.
She wrote on Facebook that she underwent surgery and had three plates and eight screws fitted into her arm.
Girard police chief John Norman told 21 News: "The mother who has a valid CCW (concealed carry) permit - even though she was in her own house, was startled by some noises she heard in the kitchen or hallway area.
"She stated that the bedroom door opened where she was at - and she had a gun readily available and she fired a round at someone coming through the door."
Police recovered a .38 special revolver from the bedroom floor - it was taken as evidence and found to have had four live rounds with another spent one in the cylinder.
He said as yet he doesn't know if any charges will be brought against the woman, but said they will 'collect all the facts', adding: "We will present it to a prosecutor, not to be malicious, but we have to the present the facts like we would in any other case."
He added that the mum was 'clearly distraught' when she realised she had shot her own daughter.
When asked if he had any advice, chief Norman told the news outlet: "If you realise someone has a gun for protection, and they're not expecting you - announce yourself when you enter the home, or even if you're getting up to get a drink of water in the middle of the night, just announce yourself."
