A 25-year-old woman was critically injured after her downstairs neighbour accidentally fired a rifle, sending a bullet through the ceiling into her apartment. Caleb Bean, 30, of Connecticut, reported to authorities that he had "accidentally discharged his firearm while attempting to cycle the action of his rifle."
The incident occurred around 10:50 pm at Phoenix Park Apartments on Long Hill Road, Groton, Croton, on Sunday. The bullet struck a woman living directly above Bean's apartment, leaving a life-threatening gunshot wound to her leg. Neighbours and the victim's boyfriend applied makeshift tourniquets while keeping her conscious until police arrived.
Police said the woman's right leg was seriously wounded, causing "a significant amount of blood loss."
Responding officers and emergency personnel transported the woman to Lawrence & Memorial Hospital, where she underwent surgery and remains in intensive care.
Cycling a firearm, which involves loading or unloading a round, should never be done in an uncontrolled environment, said Robert Guest of Eastern Connecticut Firearms Safety.
"Cycling is pulling it back and letting it go, inserting one cartridge into the chamber," he said, as per KKTV.
"Always point your gun in a safe direction. And absolutely, if you know the environment you're in and there's just the possibility of someone being above you, up is probably not the safest direction," Guest said.
An AR-15-style rifle was recovered at the scene. Bean was arrested and charged with assault, first-degree reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, unlawful discharge of a firearm, and breach of peace. He was initially held on a $250,000 bond, later reduced to $15,000.
On Saturday, a 16-year-old was accidentally shot and killed in Texas, as per WHNT. Police responded around 7 pm to a home and found the teen suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite life-saving efforts, the teen was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities said an 18-year-old, who was with the teen at the time, believed the gun he was handling was unloaded when it discharged, fatally hitting the teen.
