In the early hours of April 4, Barrow County authorities received a distress call reporting a gunshot wound at a residence on Muirfield Drive. Upon arriving at the scene, deputies found a juvenile with a gunshot wound to the right upper thigh.
The victim was immediately attended to, receiving first aid until paramedics arrived. Investigation at the scene revealed the victim’s brother had accidentally shot him. The bullet had passed through the boy’s body. A bullet hole was observed on his right side leg upper thigh area with little to no blood coming out of the wound. However, there was a second wound on his back near his tailbone, which was bleeding enough to stain his shirt and pants and drip onto the floor, according to the police report.
The firearm, a Glock 27, was discovered upstairs on a dresser in the master bedroom with the magazine out. A 40 Cal. shell casing was found in a side bedroom and a bullet hole in the wall of that bedroom.
Further investigation revealed that the incident occurred during a birthday party for the victim’s uncle, hosted at their home. The father of the victim, Carlo Melendez, retrieved the firearm to “show off” to guests. After Melendez fired two shots into the ground, he gave the gun to his son to put back in the master bedroom. Melendez told police he took the magazine out of the gun, but must have forgotten to clear the chamber. His son told the investigator that while he was placing the gun back onto the bed his finger was straight out, and it hit the trigger accidentally.
The shooting victim was rushed to Northside Gwinnett Hospital, where medical staff treated his injuries.
Melendez turned himself in to authorities the following day on charges of reckless conduct.
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