ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – After investigators said two children were injured last week when an Orange County deputy accidentally fired his personal gun, the identity of the deputy involved has now been revealed.
The children’s father — identified as Austin Ritchey — was off duty at the time of the shooting on Friday, and he was cleaning his personal firearm when it discharged a single round, the sheriff’s office explained.
Deputies originally said they responded to the scene around 12:55 p.m., where they found the two children with non-life-threatening injuries. One child had a gunshot wound, while the other was hurt by the shrapnel.
[RELATED: 2 children hurt after off-duty OCSO deputy’s gun accidentally fires]
Both children were taken to the hospital, though the sheriff’s office announced on Monday that the children are now home.
“The investigation remains active and ongoing, so we have no further information to share at this time,” deputies wrote.
Ritchey has been employed with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office since April 2024.
Breaking News Alerts
Get breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox.
Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.