Philly Police: Teen Shot In The Eye By His Best Friend
PHILADELPHIA (CBS)--A 17-year-old Kingsessing boy, along the 5300 block of Lindbergh Blvd., is in the hospital tonight after police say he was shot in the face by his best friend.
"He's trying to wake the kid up. The kid is not waking up, apparently he's a pretty heavy sleeper. At some point he pulled out a gun. As the young man wakes up, the 17-year-old he sees the gun in his face and goes to slap it," said Lieutenant John Walker with the Philadelphia Police Department.
The gun went off as the teen slapped it, shooting him in the eye.
Authorities say he will likely lose his left eye.
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"Now you have two kids that are going to deal with long and long incarceration, which isn't good for anybody," added Lt. Walker.
The father of the teen shot spoke to Eyewitness News off camera, outside the home.
He said this was a morning ritual of two friend meeting up before school that went wrong.
The father defended his son's best friend, and said the best friend didn't mean to hurt his son.
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The best friend did stay on scene and waited for police.
He's in custody but hasn't been charged.
Detectives are not sure if the gun was legal, because they are actually still trying to locate it.
"We believe the actual gun was walked off the scene by somebody who was there. We are still trying to talk to family members out there to determine where this gun actually came from," said Lt. Walker.
Authorities would not say what charges the best friend could face, but police did say this is another reminder of why guns are nothing to play with.
