Boy shot, police say gun was stolen

PRICHARD, Alabama (WALA) - Prichard police say an accidental shooting has been linked to a crime in Mobile.

The call to 911 around 8 p.m. Saturday was for a possible home invasion in Prichard.

When police got to the 300 block of Fairport Drive, they found a 12-year-old and his 15-year-old cousin home alone. One of them had been shot.

"He had what appeared to be a small hole on the left side of his face, as well as blood," city spokesperson Latoya Veal said.

Veal said the boys told police they didn't know the shooter.

"That a subject had came through the back door of the residence and had shot the 12-year-old the left side of his face," Veal said.

There are a lot of boarded up homes in the Gulf Village public housing community. They all seem to have the same basic design, one way in and one way out. The boys told police a man burst through the door and shot the 12-year-old.

But when detectives found the shell casing in a different area of the house than the boys had said the shooting happened, they knew they weren't dealing with a home invasion.

Then came the confession.

"It was determined that it was an accidental shooting and that the other 12-year-old had shot his 12-year-old cousin in the face," explained Veal.

The injured 12-year-old was taken to the hospital with a non life-threatening injury. He was treated and released the same night.

But police made another startling discovery when they ran a check on the 9 millimeter automatic handgun confiscated from the juveniles.

"We can tell you that it was a handgun, and the handgun was stolen," Veal said.

The weapon was stolen from someone in Mobile in September of 2006. Now, police want to know how it ended up in the hands of the two.

Police say once they get some answers, charges may be filed in the case.