Man Accidentally Shoots Grandson In Chest: Southbridge PD

SOUTHBRIDGE, MA—A young man is reportedly "doing better" after he was life flighted to UMass with a gun shot wound in an accidental shooting with his grandfather.

Around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 29, officers were called to Tipton Rock Road in Southbridge, where there had reportedly been an accidental shooting. The homeowner came to the door and told police she had given two men permission to target practice on her property, and then heard screaming on the property.

Sgt. Michale Sullivan heard a man calling for help toward the wood line of the property, and found two men at the bottom of a hill. One, a 22-year-old from Webster, was lying on his back and the other, a 68-year-old from Dudley and the younger man's grandfather was kneeling next to him holding a shirt on his grandson's chest.

The two had been target shooting with .22 caliber rifles, said police, and at some point, the grandson accidentally stepped in front of the direction of his grandfather as he shot his rifle. The shot hit the grandson in the upper body. The grandfather told police he didn't see his grandson step in front of him; he was visibly shaken and distraught while talking to police.

According to police, the grandson was conscious when officers arrived on scene and repeatedly told officers that "it wasn't his grandfather's fault; I stepped in front of him."

The grandfather has an active license to carry and both were more than 500 feet from any homes.

The 22 year old victim was transported to Harrington Memorial Hospital in Southbridge by the Southbridge Fire Department and was then transported to UMASS in Worcester by Life Flight.

At the time police released the information, his condition was unknown. However, a relative posted on FB that her nephew was in ICU and "doing better."

This incident is still under investigation. The names have not been released.

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