A 16-year-old Mecosta County girl who was accidentally shot in the neck over the weekend is expected to survive, the Mecosta County Sheriff’s Office said.
The Sheriff’s Office said the girl was shot by a 21-year-old Barryton man. She was transported to the Big Rapids Hospital for stabilization before being transferred to Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids for further treatment.
“While her injuries were critical, she is expected to survive,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post on Sunday, Nov. 2.
Neither individual involved was identified by police. The circumstances of the shooting and type of firearm also were not specified in the post.
Deputies were dispatched to a Sheridan Township home near the intersection of Harding Road and 55th Avenue, west of M-66 near Tubbs Lake, at about 10:04 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1, in response to the reported shooting.
Deputies “immediately began performing CPR and other life-saving measure until medical personal arrived on the scene until medical personnel arrived on scene,” the release said.
“After a thorough investigation, officers determined the shooting was accidental , with all involved parties and witnesses being interviewed,” the release added.
“The Mecosta County Sheriff’s Office urges the public to always exercise caution when handling firearms,” the post says. “As a reminder, firearms should always be treated as if they are loaded, pointed in a safe direction, and handled with the utmost care.”
Deputies were assisted by Mecosta County EMS, Meceola Central Dispatch, and Fork Township Rescue.
Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mecosta County girl suffers gunshot to neck. What police are saying
Reporting by Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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