Boy Dies From Bullet Ricochet While Target Shooting In Arizona

Boy Dies From Ricochet During Target Shooting

July 3 (Reuters) - A 9-year-old boy who was shot in the neck by a bullet ricochet while target shooting in the Arizona desert died on Thursday of his wounds, authorities said.

The boy had been airlifted to Phoenix Children's Hospital after being hit by a ricocheted handgun round early on Wednesday in the accident west of Phoenix, sheriff's deputies said.

Christopher Hegstrom, a spokesman for the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, said he was pronounced dead on Thursday.

"At this time, no charges have been filed pending the outcome of the investigation," Hegstrom said in a statement, adding no other information was currently available.

Authorities say the boy was target shooting with a group that included two adults and his sister at about 5 a.m. local time, and that it not immediately clear who fired the shot that injured him. The group had several handguns and a shotgun with them, sheriff's deputies said. (Reporting by Daniel Wallis; editing by Andrew Hay)

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story's headline, written by The Huffington Post, incorrectly said the boy was shot at a target range. He was shot while target shooting in the desert.

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