Teen accidentally shoots 8-year-old sister while they get ready for school, NM cops say

A teenager accidentally shot his 8-year-old sister while they were getting ready for school, New Mexico officials said.

The 17-year-old was getting ready for school with his siblings at their Clayton home on Oct. 29, when he pointed what he thought was an unloaded gun at his sister, according to a Facebook post by state police.

He pulled the trigger, and the gun went off, hitting her in the head, officers said.

The siblings called 911, and the teen disassembled the gun before throwing it away in a nearby dumpster, police said.

The girl was flown to a hospital in Texas, where she was in critical condition as of Oct. 30, officials said.

The gun didn’t belong to anyone living in the home, police said.

The teen was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, negligent use of a deadly weapon and tampering with evidence, police said.

He was booked into the San Juan County Juvenile Detention Center, officials said.

Clayton is about a 270-mile drive northeast of Albuquerque.

This story was originally published October 31, 2024 at 1:28 PM with the headline "Teen accidentally shoots 8-year-old sister while they get ready for school, NM cops say."