OLYPHANT — A man is facing charges after his 3-year-old daughter was shot in the leg while handling a gun she found in a backpack at her home in Olyphant Tuesday morning, according to county detectives.
Police say Kristopher Sheerer, 26, of Olyphant, was watching his two children when one of them discovered the gun and was shot.
Lackawanna County detectives say police responded to the 600 block of Lackawanna Avenue around 8 a.m. where they found the girl suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers rendered aid to her until paramedics arrived and took her to an area hospital.
Sheerer was taken to Olyphant Police headquarters where he was interviewed by police. Investigators say Sheerer told them he went upstairs to smoke when he heard the shot ring out and when he got to his daughter she was bleeding, according to court records.
Police say Sheerer called his girlfriend first, then his maternal grandmother, before calling 911.
According to the criminal complaint, Sheerer told police he leaves his weapons in his backpack, and the girl must have gotten into the bag.
Police say another child, a 1-year-old boy, was also at the home during the incident while their mother was at work.
The girl was taken to Geisinger Community Medical Center, where she underwent surgery. District Attorney Brian Gallagher says she is in stable condition and is expected to survive.
Sheerer is facing two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering another person.
This story was originally published on 2822news.com.