Seattle Boy Who Accidentally Shot Third-Grade Classmate Charged
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David De Lossy/Thinkstock(SEATTLE) — Preliminary charges have been filed against the third-grade boy accused of accidentally shooting his 8-year-old classmate in the abdomen at their Seattle-area school.
The unnamed boy has been charged with unlawful possession of a gun, bringing a dangerous weapon to school and third-degree assault. Children in Washington state between 8 and 12 can be charged if they are deemed to understand wrongdoing.
Bail was lowered from $250,000 to $50,000 at Thursday’s preliminary hearing for the 9-year-old boy, who looked frightened during a court appearance that was also attended by his father and uncle, who is the boy’s legal guardian. The boy’s mother was not at the hearing. The boy has not been named because of his age.
A capacity hearing has been scheduled for two weeks, and the boy was released on bail at some point Thursday, according to Kitsap County prosecutor’s juvenile division.
“I just want everyone to know that my kid made a mistake. It was a terrible mistake,” the boy’s father said outside the courthouse on Thursday.
Both of the child’s parents have extensive criminal records, according to Kitsap County officials, but police told ABC News’ Seattle affiliate KOMO that they would not discuss whether they would be investigated in relation to Wednesday’s shooting.
The boy’s father and uncle told ABC News that they believe the child got the gun from his mother’s boyfriend when he was visiting her last weekend.
“He’s a good kid. It’s all I can say,” the boy’s uncle said Thursday. “I apologize to the family of that girl. I really do.”
Amina Bowman, 8, was airlifted from Armin Jahr Elementary School to Harborview Medical Center after the gun discharged inside the boy’s backpack around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to police in Bremerton, Wash. She remains in critical condition and will face surgeries in the next few weeks, although she has interacted with her parents, KOMO reported.
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