A 19-year-old woman in Wisconsin has been charged with negligent use of a weapon, the police said on August 14. This charge comes after she accidentally shot a friend in the thigh at a Kenosha apartment on Tuesday afternoon. The 21-year-old man, who was shot, had brought a handgun to the apartment, authorities said.
It was later revealed that the 21-year-old was shot after the woman was using the laser sight on a handgun to play with a cat. She was visiting the apartment in Kenosha, where the incident took place.
According to a report in the Associated Press, a witness said that the woman had been drinking. The witness further added that the woman picked up the handgun, “turned on the laser sight and was pointing it at the floor to get the cat to chase it”. However, it was that moment when the gun went off, said a complaint that was filed Thursday.
The 21-year-old man was standing in a doorway when he was shot in the thigh, authorities said. He then left the apartment and arrived at another apartment where he was found by the police as they responded to a 911 call, local media reported.
AP reported that a tourniquet was applied to the man’s leg before he was taken to a hospital by the police. The tourniquet was put in place to stop the bleeding. While there is no update on his condition, authorities said that he was facing charges for violating bond conditions that prevented him from having a weapon.
As for the woman, she told the police that she thought the magazine had been taken out of the gun and said it “accidentally went off,” according to the complaint.
What is a laser sight?
A laser sight is a device that is attached to a firearm and is integral in aiding the target acquisition. Unlike optical and iron sights, laser sight projects a red beam into the target that helps in acquiring the target and acts as a visual reference point.