A 12-year-old boy was shot in California during an alleged attempt to rob a teenager at gunpoint.
The boy was treated at a local hospital for several weeks before being transferred to the Tulare County Juvenile Detention Facility.
According to the Sheriff's Office, the boy walked up to a 17-year-old sitting in the driver's seat of a vehicle and tried to rob him in Cutler on 26 November.
When the suspect pulled out a gun, the 17-year-old tried to back out of the parking stall and leave the area.
As the teenager began backing up, the 12-year-old started shooting at his car. "The victim then grabbed his own gun and fired one shot through his windshield, hitting the 12-year-old," the Sheriff's Office said.
The teenager then left the area immediately to avoid further confrontation.
When the detectives arrived at the spot, they found the suspect with a gunshot wound. He was rushed to a hospital and after treatment, released on 16 December. The suspect is presently being held at the detention centre without bond.
California prohibits any person, corporation or firm, from selling a handgun to anyone under the age of 21 and, selling, loaning, or transferring any firearm to a minor.
In a bid to reduce gun violence, California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Wednesday announced that the California Department of Justice (DOJ) has awarded over $4.9m to 10 county sheriff’s departments to support activities “related to seizing weapons and ammunition from individuals prohibited from possessing them.”
In Georgia, a 12-year-old was taken into custody earlier this month for fatally shooting an 11-year-old. The minor has been charged with murder, aggravated assault, tampering with evidence, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, among others, the Clayton County Police Department said.
