LIMA — A 17-year-old boy is lucky to be alive after he was shot in the face over the weekend.
Kaleb Davis was taken to Toledo Children’s Hospital where he was placed in a medically induced coma so a breathing tube could be placed into his throat until the swelling subsided, Allen County sheriff investigators said.
The shooting appears to be accidental and both teens are friends with no animosity between the two, Sheriff’s Sgt. Mark Baker said.
“There is no indication there was any foul play. There is no reason to believe anything else happened,” Baker said.
The shooting happened Saturday at 11:15 p.m. Davis was sleeping in a chair at the home of his friend, Gregory Lambert, 19. The home is at 4251 Reservoir Road, authorities said.
Lambert was hunting groundhogs earlier in the day and left his .22 caliber rifle on his bed after he finished. Lambert left Davis sleeping in a chair and was going to go to bed himself, authorities said.
Lambert attempted to remove the rifle from the bed at which time he somehow pulled the trigger as he grabbed the rifle. The round struck Davis in the mouth knocking out a tooth and lodging into Davis throat, authorities said.
When deputies and emergency responders arrived at the house, Davis was up and walking, holding a towel to his mouth. Davis told a deputy he woke after something happened to his mouth.
The incident appears to be an accident with a rifle from careless gun handling, Baker said.
The case will be presented to the Prosecutor’s Office to determine if any charges will be filed. At most, Baker said it would be a negligent assault, which is a misdemeanor.
