An 11-year-old boy was shot dead over the weekend when the uncle, demonstrating how the laser pointer for the weapon worked and assuming the gun was empty, shot the child in the forehead.
According to police reports, the 11-year-old boy identified as Hunter Penderson, was visiting his grandfather’s house in a New Jersey gated community when he asked his uncle, Chad Olm, to see Olm’s gun collection. Olm said that he opened the security safe and began showing his weapons his nephew and son, who was also present, and let his nephew handle three guns, before removing a Glock that was equipped with a laser sight. Olm stated that he didn’t check to see if there was a round in the chamber, but said that there wasn’t a magazine in the handgun, and he pointed the laser pointer at the walls and ceilings, then at this nephew.
“Look,” Olm recalled one of the boys saying, “You have a red dot on your forehead.”
That was when, Olm said, the nephew reached out for the gun, and he pulled the trigger. The bullet struck the child above the eye, causing the child to fall over.
The police arrested Olm on charges of criminal homicide, reckless endangering of another person, and endangering the welfare of a child. He was being held at Pike County Correctional Facility without bail.
Blooming Grove State Police station commander Lt. Chris Paris issued a statement saying, “It’s horribly tragic. The family is devastated. It goes to show that the safe handling of firearms is a must. The family has lost something that they can never replace.”
Penderson attended the Wallenpaupack Area School District, and was in fifth grade. On Monday, counselors were on staff to help students deal with the loss.
You can watch the video from Eyewitness News below:
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