Ohio mom shoots teen daughter mistaking her for an intruder when she came home from college to surprise her
Warning: Some images could be disturbing.
GIRARD, OHIO: An 18-year-old college student came home on a surprise visit when she was accidentally shot by her mother, thinking she was an intruder.
Hanna Jones opened the door to her bedroom at 9 p.m. on August 30, only to be shot in the arm by her mother who was alone in the house at the time and was not expecting anyone. Girard Police Chief John Norman told 21 News that the unnamed woman fired a single shot from a .38 special revolver.
"The mother who has a valid CCW (carrying a concealed weapon) permit - even though she was in her own house, was startled by some noises she heard in the kitchen or hallway area. She stated that the bedroom door opened where she was at - and she had a gun readily available and she fired a round at someone coming through the door," he said.
Immediately after the incident, the teenager's boyfriend called 911, telling the dispatcher, "My girlfriend just came home from college and her mom didn't know, like honestly - she accidentally shot her and we don't know what to do."
When the dispatcher double-checked, asking, "She accidentally shot her?" he replied, "Yes, I believe in the arm." When the police arrived on the scene, they found Jones being walked down the driveway, with the area of her right bicep wrapped in a towel that was covered in blood. She was treated at an area hospital and released.
Jones posted pictures of her broken arm on Facebook, with an extensive caption, describing the bizarre incident. "At around 8:55 pm I ran through the door with excitement to see my mother but she had no idea I was coming and thought someone broke in to hurt her and as I ran through the door she was in fear for her life and shot me. I crouched down and let out two screams and then latched on to my arm where I was shot to apply pressure and then raise my arm above my head," she wrote.
"My elbow was broken in 3 spots along with bullet fragments in my elbow, the next day I went into surgery and ended up with 8 screws and plates in my right arm along with a huge ass incision. It truly has been a crazy few days, but I am beyond thankful to still be here on this earth today," she added.
Norman added that although the circumstances of the shooting were pretty clear, they still had to follow the legal protocol.
"We will collect all the facts, and we will present it to a prosecutor, not to be malicious. But we have to present the facts like we would in any other case. At that point the prosecutor will make a decision whether we will go ahead and charge or not charge in this case," he said.
In addition, he had the following advice for people who possess concealed weapons, to avoid such freak accidents in the future.
"If you realize someone has a gun for protection, and they're not expecting you - announce yourself when you enter the home, or even if you're getting up to get a drink of water in the middle of the night, just announce yourself," he added.