Louisiana Man Charged With Shooting 14-Year-Old Girl Playing Hide-and-Seek

A Louisiana man was arrested and charged after he allegedly shot a teenage girl in the back of her head while playing hide and seek on his property.

According to USA Today, David V. Doyle, 58, was arrested and booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center and charged with aggravated battery, four counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, and illegal discharge of a firearm, the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office reported.

The report also stated that in the early morning hours on May 7, police officers were summoned to the home of Doyle after a reported shooting.

When the officers arrived, they observed a 14-year-old girl with a gunshot wound to the back of her head. Detectives from CPSO Violent Crimes realized several children were playing hide and seek on his property. Doyle told detectives, he noticed shadows outside of his home and grabbed his weapon from inside his home. After seeing several people running away from the property, he began shooting and claimed he did not realize a bullet had struck the teenager.

Where the incident happened “is a dead-end road with only three residents: Doyle, the victim’s family, and a relative to the victim’s family,” according to a report by 7 KPLC News. Someone close to the victim’s family said one of Doyle’s nephews was playing with the girl when she was shot.

“Things like this need to stop,” a resident said. “I believe in people owning guns, but your life has to be in danger first. That man’s life was not in danger…It was just lucky, that her guardian angel had their hand on her, and it wasn’t worse than it was.”

Police said the girl was transported to a hospital out of town to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The incident is under investigation. It is not known if the girl is still in the hospital or the extent of her injuries.

Louisiana is one of the 27 states with “stand your ground” laws.