A 16-year-old boy was hospitalized late Thursday night and remains in critical condition after being shot by his 17-year-old friend in Springfield Township.
According to Springfield Township Police, the shooting happened around 11 p.m. in the 2300 block of Waterloo Road.
The 17-year-old was taken into custody on a charge of felonious assault shortly after officers responded to the scene. Both teens attend Akron Public Schools.
According to Springfield Township Police Chief Jack Simone, the two teens have been friends most of their lives and the older boy was staying at the other one's home for the past few months. Thursday night, the two boys were hanging out and got a hold of a handgun belonging to the 16-year-old's father. The 17-year-old was holding the weapon when it was accidentally discharged.
The chief said the gun is usually kept in the father's bedroom, and it's unclear if it was locked up or how the boys got a hold of it.
While the older boy is facing a felonious assault charge, he had no intention of hurting the 16-year-old, the chief said. The teens thought of themselves as brothers.
Police contacted the school district about the shooting. The district will offer support services to students in need, authorities said.
Simone said he wants to "remind folks that when they have firearms in the house, to make sure they're taking care of those in a safe manner— locked up or a lock on the firearm or with the ammunition and the firearm in separate places so that we can avoid these types of incidents."
"It's just a sad situation. (I) feel horrible for these families.. they have to go through this now," Simone said.
