An 11-year-old boy was shot on an elementary school playground in a small Texas community Sunday evening, and police arrested another 11-year-old in connection with the incident.
Crandall Police Department (CPD) officers responded to a playground at approximately 7:27 p.m. in the Heartland Community of Kaufman County after a reported shooting, according to a department press release. Officers found an 11-year-old with a gunshot wound to the leg. A first responders service called CareFlite provided on-site medical care before flying the boy to the Children’s Hospital in Dallas. Hospital personnel later told police the wound did not appear life-threatening and the boy’s condition was stable.
Police placed a different 11-year-old boy under arrest as the suspected gunman. Detectives determined the shooting was an isolated incident between the two juveniles on the playground of Opal Smith Elementary. Authorities believe nothing suggests students or staff are at risk. (RELATED: Police Hunt Down 12-Year-Old Boy Wanted For Allegedly Robbing, Stabbing Lady In Face With Screwdriver)
The victim has since been released from the hospital and is recovering at home, police told CBS News Texas. Authorities charged the suspect with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and tampering with evidence. The weapon did not come from the suspect’s residence, the outlet reported.
Police recovered a pistol connected to the shooting, Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth reported. Investigators have not yet pieced together what triggered the gunfire or traced the origin of the firearm.
Crandall police have not said whether the shooting was deliberate or accidental, NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth reported. It also remains unclear whether an adult or one of the children dialed 911. The school district alerted parents Sunday night that the school would operate on its regular schedule Monday with extra counselors available.
Mayor David Lindsey called the shooting “heartbreaking” and pledged the city would remain transparent throughout the probe.