At 12:00 pm on Monday, dispatchers at the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from a person saying a little girl had been shot.

As deputies responded to the home on the 1200 block of S. Bryan Ave. in Fresno, the child’s mother drove her to the intersection of Bryan and California.  There she turned her daughter over to EMS personnel who arrived in an ambulance.  The five year old girl was taken to Community Regional Medical Center where she underwent surgery.  A pellet was removed from her body and she is listed in serious, but stable condition.

Homicide detectives responded to the home to conduct interviews.  They learned that a seven year old boy and his five year old sister were playing outside.  The boy got ahold of a pellet rifle and fired it, accidentally striking the girl in her upper body.  The boy immediately told his parents what happened, which allowed them to call for help.

This remains an ongoing investigation.  No arrests have been made.  

Under California law, pellet guns are not required to be locked up, since they are not considered to be real firearms.

For the safety of everyone, the Sheriff’s Office encourages people to treat replica guns as though they are real guns.  Do not point them at anyone and do not leave them loaded in unsecured areas.