Police Officer's Bullet Fragments Hit Child In The Face

A police officer in Wichita, Kansas, is on administrative leave after a shot he fired at a dog Saturday night allegedly fragmented and ricocheted into a 9-year-old girl's forehead, the Wichita Eagle reported.

The officer was among other police who responded to a domestic disturbance call and a suicidal person with a gun. The officers arrived at the home where they expected to find a 33-year-old man with a gun. The Wichita Police Department received a call that said the man had a gun in his mouth and had choked a dog.

Once officers arrived they were told there was a handgun under a pillow in the bedroom and while an officer was looking for the weapon, a dog in the home allegedly charged him, the Wichita Eagle reported. Then the officer allegedly fired a shot at the dog, the shot missed and broke into fragments after hitting the floor. A fragment from the bullet hit the girl in the forehead above her right eye, according to the Eagle.

The child was one of three children who were at the home at the time of the incident, along with an adult woman. The girl was taken to an area hospital for her injuries and released the same night. Additionally, the suicidal man cooperated and was taken for a mental health exam, the Eagle reported. The officer involved was placed on leave as part of the protocol and the case will be reviewed by the District Attorney’s Office.

The Wichita Police Department last week put a seven-year veteran officer on leave after the shooting of a man who was the victim of a prank emergency call.

The department held a media briefing but did not mention the incident involving the girl.