DETROIT (WXYZ) — A 16-year-old boy has been charged after he allegedly shot his 12-year-old cousin in Detroit on Monday night.
It happened around 9:45 p.m. at a home in the area of E. Robinwood Street and Saint Aubin Street.
Officers responded to the home after receiving a 911 call, Detroit Police Capt. Derrick Griffin told reporters at the scene late Monday night.
Hear Capt. Derrick Griffin provide information about the incident below:
Inside the home, they found the 12-year-old victim and provided aid before he was taken to the hospital by a medic unit. His injuries are not life threatening.
The 16-year-old shot the 12-year-old boy in the upper arm, the prosecutor's office said. The teen was arrested and taken to the Wayne County Juvenile Detention Facility. He was charged on Tuesday with careless discharge of a firearm causing injury.
"I can say that this is another incident where we have a child shot in the city of Detroit. And my message to everyone who is a gun owner: please secure your firearm. We care and we love the children," Griffin said. "Also secure your firearm so that these types of incidents don't continue to happen."
Police believe the shooting was not intentional.
Six people were inside the home at the time — two adults and four children — police said.
The gun was found in the backyard of the home by a K-9 team.
It’s unclear at this time who the gun is registered to. It’s also unknown how the 16-year-old gained access to the gun.
"Certainly, anyone being shot, it's not going to be a good day for them, but certainly when it's a child, that brings you to another level of emotion. So I would just assume that, it's a tragedy, it's going to be felt by not only the victim, but it's going to be felt throughout the family," Griffin said.
Detectives are continuing to investigate.
