In Norton, Virginia, George Henry Sailers, IV, was charged with shooting his girlfriend in an accident that occurred while he was playing with his gun.  Sailers allegedly told deputies that he had been trying to twirl a .22 Ruger pistol he had gotten for Christmas. While Sailers was trying to show how fast he could twirl it, the pistol fired and hit his girlfriend, Laken Bowen, in the head.

The couple’s two-year old child was present when the accident occurred. Sailers allegedly told investigators that he had pulled the hammer back on the pistol and thought the safety was on when he spun it and pulled the trigger.

Bowen was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive after treatment for bullet fragment in her brain. Sailers was charged with unlawful shooting, reckless handling of a firearm with serious injury, assault by shooting/stabbing/etc. in commission of a felony, shooting in an occupied building and child abuse/neglect with reckless disregard for life.  He is being held without bond.

Source:

Mike Still, “Wise County Man Charged with Shooting of Girlfriend,”  TimesNews (January 25, 2021).