Louisiana Man Shot Girl Playing Hide and Seek in His Property, Gets Arrested

By Rick Martin First Posted: May 09, 2023 10:17 PM EDT

In another case of a property owner shooting innocent people, a Louisiana man was arrested for shooting a girl playing hide and seek on his property.

According to NBC News, the girl was 14 years old, and she was just playing hide and seek. After she went into the property of David Van Doyle, 58, she was shot and wounded in the back of her head.

Investigators found that the girl was playing with other neighbors, who were all minors as well, in the vicinity of Van Doyle's property in Starks, Louisiana, near the Texas-Louisiana border. Some of the other kids were also hiding on Van Doyle's property, say detectives.

Louisiana Man Opened Fire on Kids Without Knowing Who They Were

This is the latest incident in the United States where armed property owners injure or kill people who have wandered into their property by mistake. One of the most infamous incidents involved Ralph Yarl, an African-American teen who was shot in the head after he mistakenly went to the wrong house to pick up his younger siblings. He survived getting shot in the head but is still recovering.

Van Doyle has now been arrested on one count of aggravated battery, as well as four counts of aggravated assault with a firearm and one count of illegal discharge of a firearm. He remained in custody inside the Calcasieu Correctional Center as of Tuesday.

Much like Yarl, the girl survived being shot in the head. She was immediately rushed to a hospital, though her injuries were found to be not life-threatening, according to Boston 25 News.

After he was arrested, Louisiana man David Van Dyle told detectives that he saw shadows outside his house. This made him go back inside to get his firearm. When he went back outside, he told detectives that he "observed people running away from his property" before opening fire without checking who those people possibly were.

The Associated Press reported that Van Doyle's bond was set at $300,000. A jail staffer also told the outlet that he has also been assigned a public defender to work on his case. Investigations into the case are still ongoing.

Mistaken Property Shootings on the Rise in the United States, Including Louisiana Hide and Seek Shooting

Similar shootings have been happening all over the United States, with gun owners often shooting first and asking questions later. This often leads to deadly consequences for their victims. These attacks have started a brand-new debate about gun safety and gun control, as well as stand-your-ground laws.

While the Louisiana teen and Ralph Yarl survived their encounters, Kaylin Gillis, a 20-year-old woman who was just looking for a friend's house in upstate New York, was not so lucky.

She drove into the wrong driveway by accident when she was struck by gunfire. The homeowner allegedly fired two shots into her vehicle, and much like the case of Yarl and the teenage girl, the homeowner fired first before confirming what they were shooting at.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Lousiana man arrested for allegedly shooting a child. - KTSM 9 NEWS