Boy, 6, injured in accidental shooting

UNDERHILL – A 6-year-old Burlington boy shot himself in the left leg when a handgun accidentally discharged Thursday on private property off Downs Road in Underhill, the Vermont State Police said.

Police did not release the name of the wounded boy.

The Underhill-Jericho Volunteer Fire Department called police at about 4:40 p.m. after the boy's father brought his wounded son to the station seeking medical attention, State Police Capt. Paul White said in a statement.

Essex Rescue later transported the boy to the University of Vermont Medical Center for treatment. He was admitted with a non-life-threatening wound to the left leg and is expected to recover fully, said White, the state police commander for northwestern Vermont.

Troopers spoke to the father at the fire station and also processed the shooting scene, the police said. The property is owned by the victim's family.

White said the preliminary investigation revealed the following:

The boy, his father and two other children were taking turns shooting at a target with a .22 caliber pistol, under the supervision of the father.

While the boy was shooting, the handgun failed to discharge. The child subsequently lowered the still-loaded firearm, but before his father could intervene, the gun discharged. The bullet hit the boy in the lower leg, White said.

Once the investigation is complete, the case will be forwarded to the Chittenden County State's Attorney's Office for review.