‘Gun safety’ lesson by dad ends with 6-year-old girl hit by shotgun blast, cops say

A 26-year-old Arizona man told police he’d done his research before giving his 6-year-old daughter a gun safety lesson Thursday, KPNX reported.

He’d checked YouTube and Google to find out how to clean and store his new shotgun, according to the station.

But then Eldon Mcinville slipped while standing up to put the half-cocked shotgun, loaded with birdshot, away, The Arizona Republic reported. The gun discharged, hitting his daughter in the abdomen, police in Glendale, Arizona, say.

Micinville called 911 and reported his daughter’s “intestines were visible,” KPHO reported.

“First responders came on scene and they said she was the bravest, strongest girl they’ve ever seen,” said Sgt. John Roth of the Glendale Police Department, KTAR reported. The girl, who was alert and asking questions, was hospitalized in stable but serious condition.

Mcinville faces charges of child abuse causing serious physical injury and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, KPHO reported. He cried in court Friday as a judge set his bail at $50,000 and ordered him to have no contact with his daughter while the case is pending.

“I just want to help my family,” Mcinville said at the hearing, KPNX reported. “That’s all I want to do. I understand what’s going on. I understand… now, what’s going on.”

Officers also found a loaded .357 Magnum pistol in a TV stand in the room, KPHO reported.

Police advised gun owners to treat every gun as if it’s loaded and never to handle one without proper training, The Arizona Republic reported.

This story was originally published April 28, 2019 at 10:19 AM with the headline "‘Gun safety’ lesson by dad ends with 6-year-old girl hit by shotgun blast, cops say."