7-Year-Old Shot His Own Hand In Manassas, Father Arrested: Police

MANASSAS, VA — A 7-year-old boy shot himself in the hand at a home in Manassas on Sunday, the Prince William County Police Department. Investigators said the boy found an unsecured firearm and shot himself.

The boy's injuries were not life-threatening, authorities said.

The boy's father, a 35-year-old man from Manassas, was arrested on Monday. He is charged with one count of felony child neglect and one count of allowing children access to firearms.

The man's court date is pending and he was held on a $5,000 unsecured bond.

If convicted of both charges, the man could face up to 11 years in prison, based on Virginia's sentencing guidelines.

The shooting occurred on Sunday evening at a home in the 11100 block of Stagestone Way in Manassas. The police department said the boy found an unsecured firearm. While the boy handled the gun, a shot went off.

The bullet struck the child in the hand before travelling through a bedroom wall and into a bathroom. No other injuries were reported, according to the police report. Authorities recommend that gun owners leave firearms locked and unloaded when not in use.