Cheyenne officials are seeking information about a July 4 incident in which a 5-year-old girl, the daughter of a service member stationed at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, was struck by a bullet while watching the city’s fireworks show from one of the base’s gates.
Incident Details
According to F.E. Warren AFB 90th Missile Wing Commander Terry Holmes, the incident occurred at roughly 10 p.m. on July 4. The girl was watching the fireworks display with her family outside the Trails End center at the Randall Avenue gate when she suddenly suffered a head injury.
The child was taken to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center for care, where medical personnel discovered a penetrated wound on the top of her head. Upon further evaluation, an object was discovered at rest within her sinus cavity, which appeared to be the shape and size of a bullet.
She was reportedly in stable enough condition to be life-flighted to an Aurora, Colorado, hospital. There, doctors confirmed she was indeed shot.
Doctors were able to successfully remove the bullet, and the child has been discharged and is recovering at home with her family.
Investigation and Appeal for Information
Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins said that this incident is a grave reminder about the responsibility of gun ownership. He asked for the public to remember to use firearms responsibly and to think back to what they were doing that evening nearly four weeks ago.
Collins asked that anyone with information about the incident contact the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office. Laramie County Chief Deputy of Operations Chance Walkama said that once investigators find a suspect, they are most likely looking at reckless endangerment charges, but different or extra charges could be added depending on what is discovered.
The Air Force, Laramie County Sheriff’s Office, and City of Cheyenne waited to open up about the incident because there was no active threat to the community, and the extra time allowed investigators to make more progress in figuring out what happened.
Original reporting: Oil City News (Casper WY) — read the source article.
