Utah Teen Arrested After He Shoots Friend

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A Utah teen has been taken into custody following an accidental shooting that left his friend with a bullet in his stomach.

Photo: J BrewWhat Happened?

The teens were outside a West Valley City apartment complex when the shooting occurred. A 16-year-old allegedly tried to shoot a gun towards the ground but it didn’t discharge. At some point, the gun went off and a 15-year-old ended up worse for the wear. It’s believed that his injury isn’t life-threatening.

The 16-year-old Utah teen was taken into custody and booked into a local juvenile detention facility. He’s being investigated for possession of a firearm and discharge of a firearm.

Utah Kids and Guns

According to Utah law, a minor under the age of 18 may not be in possession of a dangerous weapon unless he:

• Has a parent or guardian’s permission to have the weapon or
• Is accompanied by a parent or guardian while he has the weapon

Failure to obey this law can result in a class B misdemeanor charge the first time. If it happens any other times, the charge will increase to a class A misdemeanor.

Discharging a gun is addressed all on its own. There are several places it’s illegal to shoot a gun, including:

• From any vehicle
• Around highways
• At road signs
• At railroad equipment or signs
• Without written permission of the owner of property within 600 feet of a house, dwelling or any other building

It’s a class B misdemeanor to disobey this law, and a person may have his driver’s license revoked, suspended or denied if he commits this crime.

This particular case sounds like it was likely just an accident, that no harm was actually intended. However, it’s still in the Utah teen’s best interest to have expert legal representation in any court hearing or other aspects of his case.

Talk to a Utah Juvenile Defense Attorney

If your child has been arrested for committing any offense, don’t wait to contact a Utah juvenile defense attorney. An experienced juvenile defense attorney may be able to help your Utah teen make sure that he’s treated fairly and respectfully. Make the right call today.