A babysitter and the child she was caring for were shot during a house party after a man allegedly picked up a gun that was left unattended and the piece was reported to have accidentally discharged.
Six people went to a gathering at a residence in Olympia on Saturday, and the authorities have alleged that the attendees were using recreational drugs such as marijuana and alcohol during the soiree.
Just before 11:00 pm, the guests reportedly started to show each other their tattoos. One of the men, in an attempt to show the others a tattoo on his leg, had to pull down his pants. In order to remove them the man had to take the handgun he was carrying out of the article of clothing, and he reportedly handed it to one of the other partiers before he dropped trou to show off his ink.
The gun owner, who has a permit to carry a concealed weapon, took off from the party for a few minutes while 21-year-old Stetson Michael Bird allegedly maintained possession of the weapon. Bird reportedly removed it from its holster as he began to show the loaded gun to a young woman who was hanging out while she was babysitting a 1-year-old little girl.
Bird, in an attempt to demonstrate the workings of firearms to the 20-year-old while she was holding the baby, accidentally hit the trigger with his finger. The woman and infant were both struck and injured by a bullet that discharged from the chamber.
When the authorities arrived, Bird was taken to the county jail and booked for suspicion of reckless endangerment for the unfortunate and seemingly unintentional incident.
The babysitter and child were taken to nearby hospitals for surgical intervention for their injuries. The woman was reported as having a bullet wound in her pelvic area and the infant had been shot in the leg. Both of them are expected to make a full recovery.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office holds the belief that Bird did not mean to hurt anyone or fire the gun, and Bird is scheduled to appear in court for the charges on Tuesday.
If you or someone you love is suspected of reckless endangerment, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.