A man in Louisiana has been arrested and charged after allegedly shooting a young girl playing hide-and-seek on his property.
The 58-year-old man - formally identified as David Doyle - was charged with aggravated battery, four counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, and the illegal discharge of a firearm after allegedly shooting a 14-year-old girl in the back of her head on Sunday morning (May 7).
The incident happened in Starks, a small town near the border with Texas, where police received reports of a shooting.
Doyle allegedly told police that he shot the young girl after noticing shadowy figures running around his property.
In a statement released by the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office, it was detailed how police were called to the scene of the shooting and saw a 14-year-old girl suffering from a gunshot wound to the back of her head. "Detectives arrived on scene and after further investigation, it was discovered several juveniles were playing hide and seek in the area and were hiding on the neighbor's property," the statement read.
"When detectives spoke with the property owner, David V. Doyle, 58, Starks, he stated he observed shadows outside his home, at which time he went inside and retrieved his firearm. He then advised detectives he went back outside and observed people running away from his property, at which time he began shooting at them and unknowingly hit the girl," the statement continued.
KPLC reported that the shooting occurred on a dead-end road with only three residents - Doyle, the girl's family and their relative. Doyle is still in custody at the Calcasieu Correctional Center, with his bond set at $300,000.
The outlet also detailed how Louisiana has a "stand your ground law" that can justify the use of deadly force. It says a person needs to be acting in self defense, preventing a violent crime, or if someone is making an unlawful entry into a home, place of business, or vehicle for the law to be applicable.
Police arrested and charged Doyle, with the statement revealing that the teen was taken to a hospital out of town to be teated for non-life threatening injuries. The investigation is continuing, and police have reiterated that Doyle is innocent until proven guilty in a court a law.
Unfortunately, this recent shooting is the latest in a series of similar incidents. Last month, 16-year-old Ralph Yarl was shot in Kansas City, Missouri, after he accidentally went to the wrong house to pick up his younger brothers. Then, days later, a 20-year-old woman was fatally shot in New York for pulling into the wrong driveway.
Soon after that, two Texas cheerleaders were shot and injured for mistakenly getting into the wrong car.
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