NATIONAL CITY, Calif. — A 15-year-old Chula Vista teen is recovering from a gunshot wound after being accidentally shot by his friend. It's the second accidental shooting of a minor in less than a week in San Diego.
"We discovered one victim with a gunshot wound to his abdomen," says Lt. Damian Ballardo with National City Police.
It happened in National City Friday morning shortly after 9:30 a.m. at a home in the 500 block of T Avenue. This wasn't an act of violence but rather, an accidental shooting.
Paramedics took the wounded boy, who was conscious and alert, to a trauma center, where he was hospitalized in stable condition. He was expected to survive.
The 16-year-old teen, who reported the shooting, was "very distraught, very remorseful," NCPD Sgt. Vincent Fernando said.
"We don't know whether the gun was secured or if the teen knew how to get it out," says Lt. Ballardo.
This incident comes just five days after a gun was accidentally fired at a kids sleepover in Chula Vista, when 12-year old Max Mendoza was hit and killed.
Uncertainty during the pandemic caused a major surge in gun sales throughout the nation. According to a UCSD study, 110,000 firearms were purchased in California.
Wendy Wheatcroft with San Diego Moms Demand Action says with those numbers, it's only a matter of time before accidents happen.
"We saw record number of gun sale over the quarantine period and many of those gun owners are brand new and may not be well versed in safety."
In San Diego, the law states that firearms must be kept inside a locked safe or have a trigger lock while inside the home. San Diego Moms Demand Action has launched an educational campaign called Be Smart. The mission is to educate gun owners about safe storage. Visit here to learn more about Moms Demand Action.
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