MOUNT VERNON — Three-year-old Lucas Heagren was flown to Akron Children’s Hospital following an accidental shooting Monday evening at his home at 9620 Green Valley Road.
Capt. David Shaffer, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, told Mount Vernon News Reporter Alan Reed, the boy was wounded by what was believed to be a gunshot wound to the head. He was transported to Akron Children’s Hospital by a medical helicopter and was listed in critical condition just after 10 p.m.
“It appears around 6:04 p.m., or close to that time, we received a call of a 3-year-old who had been accidentally shot; that is the way it appears to us now. The child was transported to Knox Community Hospital and was flown from there.”
Kaitlin Campbell called 9-1-1 and reported her son had shot himself above his left eye with a 9mm weapon, and was still breathing.
Campbell told the dispatcher the gun was located on the top of the television “where he usually can’t reach it.”
Shaffer called the incident “an unfortunate accident” and said the information gathered during the investigation leads him to believe the victim is the one who pulled the trigger of the handgun, although no make, model or caliber of the weapon was confirmed.
At the time of the interview, Shaffer said the family was currently with the child and had yet to be interviewed regarding the events that led up to the shooting.
When calling to check on the child’s condition this morning, the hospital would not release any information. A family member told the News this morning that he has heard nothing new on Lucas’ condition since last night.
The News was told this morning that Shaffer was working on a press release regarding the shooting. That release was not completed at press time. Additional information will be posted at mountvernonnews.com as it becomes available and in Wednesday’s edition of the News.
