3-Year-Old Boy Shoots Father, Pregnant Mother in New Mexico Motel
A 3-year-old boy shot and wounded his father and pregnant mother inside of a New Mexico motel room on Saturday after finding a loaded handgun in his mother's purse.
The incident occurred in northeast Albuquerque after the toddler discovered his mother's new 9 mm pistol as he was searching for an iPad in her bag. That's when he fired one shot that struck his father, Justin Reynolds, in the buttocks and his mother, Monique Villescas, in the shoulder.
Police arrived on the scene at the America's Best Value Inn around 2 p.m. Both parents where then taken to the hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries, Albuquerque Police Department Officer Simon Drobik said, according to Reuters.
Reynolds has since been released from the hospital but Villescas, who is eight-months pregnant, was kept for observation. She was listed in stable condition, but there is no word on the condition of her unborn child, reports CNN.
Reynolds told NBC News station KOB he and his girlfriend were just about to order pizza when he heard a gunshot.
"The next minute I realized my girlfriend was bleeding," he said. "Then I sat down and realized I was shot, too." In response, Reynolds called 911 and grabbed towels to try to stop Villescas' bleeding.
"I just took action right away," he said. "I was more worried about my girlfriend than myself and anything else that was going on. And my son because I didn't know if he had shot himself or not. He was shocked and crying. It was traumatizing."
Reynolds added Villescas' 2-year-old daughter was sitting near her mother at the time of the incident and that he is grateful that she was not also injured.
According to Drobik, the couple could face felony charges for negligence.
"On the kid's side, it's a horrible accident that happened, but the parents are still culpable," Drobik said. "They should have secured the gun."
Following the shooting, the two children were placed under the care of the Children's Youth and Families department for 48 hours.
Subscribe to Latin Post!
Sign up for our free newsletter for the Latest coverage!