PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida man was charged with child abuse after police said he “irresponsibly handled” an AR-15 rifle and accidentally shot his daughter the day before Thanksgiving.
According to WPTV, Daniel Weber, 35, was on the couch, showing his underage son how to clean his AR-15 rifle when he set it down on a TV tray. Police said the tray tipped over and the gun fired, striking Weber’s young daughter in the hip or lower abdomen area.
WPTV reported the victim needed “extensive care” and was rushed into surgery. She is still recovering in the hospital one week after the shooting.
Weber told detectives that he believed the gun was not loaded at the time. He said he was “experienced at handling firearms” and “handled several different types/calibers of firearms for several years”, according to WPTV.
Weber’s son told police his father drinks daily and had five drinks on the afternoon of the shooting, according to a police report. Weber told police he’d had “about six beers”.
Port St. Lucie police said the gun was “irresponsibly handled” and Weber’s actions were “extremely negligent”. He was charged with aggravated child abuse, using a firearm while under the influence of alcohol, and culpable negligence.