BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Buffalo police said a child was struck by a stray bullet after a domestic dispute led to a scuffle over a gun on Hager Street on Tuesday night.
According to police, E District officers responded to a shooting call on the first block of Hager Street around 10:15 p.m. A child was shot in the shoulder and was transported Golisano Children’s Hospital of Buffalo to be treated for what police said were non-life-threatening injuries.
After a preliminary investigation, police said there was a domestic dispute in a second-floor apartment that led to a scuffle over a gun. The gun was fired, which went through the floor and struck the child in the first-floor apartment. Police said an adult male involved in the scuffle later realized his foot had also been grazed by the fired round and was transported to ECMC in a private vehicle for non-life-threatening injuries.
According to police, there were nine children in the first-floor apartment and six children in the second-floor apartment at the time of the incident.
7 News Senior Reporter Eileen Buckley spent time in the neighborhood on Wednesday. She spoke to the child's grandmother, speaking through a window at the home, and confirmed it was her grandson who was shot inside her daughter's home. She said she was not allowed to discuss the case further.
WATCH: BPD: Child struck by stray bullet after domestic dispute led to a scuffle over a gun
"My heart goes out to this family. It could have been worse than what it is," Lenny Lane, president of Buffalo F.A.T.H.E.R.S. and a member of Buffalo Peacemakers, said.
Buffalo F.A.T.H.E.R.S. and Buffalo Peacemakers are two organizations fighting against gun violence in the city. Lane said the incident is a warning sign for the months ahead.
"It puts everyone on alert, not only for the day, not only for the week, but for the entire summer. We've got to start combating this right now," Lane said.
He said addressing gun violence requires a focus on prevention that starts closer to home.
"Gun prevention, it really doesn't start on the streets, and a lot of times that's where we think that we can tackle that, but really, gun prevention starts at home," Lane commented.
Lane called for broader community education efforts.
"We have to get back to educating, trying to get as many guns off the street as possible, trying to make our families aware, our children aware, our teenagers aware," Lane said.
According to police, an Anderson AM-15 with 19 .223 rounds in the magazine was recovered.
The Erie County District Attorney's Office announced 19-year-old Markus Wright was arraigned in Erie County Court on an indictment charging him with:
- One count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon
- One count of second-degree assault
- One count of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon
- One count of first-degree reckless endangerment
Wright was held without bail and is scheduled to return on July 21 for a pre-trial conference. Temporary orders of protection remain in effect.
