Latest News USA: New Orleans Boy Wounded By Stray Bullet During Gunfight Involving Mother’s Boyfriend
An 8-year-old boy was shot in the leg after being hit by a stray bullet during a gunfight between his mother’s boyfriend, Corneal Knapper, 26, and another person in New Orleans Tuesday evening, according to Nola.com .
Knapper has been arrested on counts of illegally using a weapon and second-degree cruelty to a juvenile. However, it’s unclear whether the other shooter was identified by the police. It’s gathered that the victim’s mother and Knapper drove the boy to University Medical Center to be treated for a bullet wound to his thigh about 6 p.m. Officers recovered surveillance footage while investigators were taking the adults’ statements. Knapper was seen arguing with someone earlier in the evening. He got into his car, where his girlfriend and her son were sitting, and drove a short distance. Knapper then got out of his car and waved a gun in the air while walking towards the person with whom he had been arguing.
The police say Knapper returned and again, drove a short distance before he stepped out, pointed his gun at the other person and fired, police said.
“Knapper appeared to be instigating the incident,” police said in documents filed in Orleans Parish Magistrate Court. Police said Knapper could soon be seen “ducking and dodging” as the other person shot back at him.
Meanwhile, during the shootout, the 8-year-old boy was hit by at least one bullet while he sat in the back of Knapper’s car. Knapper wasn’t wounded during the shootout but it’s unclear if the other shooter was wounded.
Officers reportedly obtained a warrant to search Knapper’s car and found a gun under the driver’s seat. A gunshot residue test suggested he had fired a weapon, police said.
According to police they jailed Knapper, who has no prior criminal history, because he had “several” opportunities to drive away from the confrontation but instead engaged in it, placing the boy’s life in danger.
Magistrate Court Judge Harry Cantrell set his bail at $50,000.
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