80-year-old shot in head as grandson, his friends messed with gun upstairs, PA cops say

An 80-year-old Pennsylvania woman was “sitting in her living room just enjoying the day” when she took a bullet to her head, reports say.

A gun had been fired from above on the home’s second floor — and a bullet went “through the floorboards,” striking the grandmother while in her wheelchair, Philadelphia Police Captain John Walker told WPVI.

The woman’s grandson and two friends, all 18 years old, had been upstairs with the gun when it fired, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

They had been playing with the gun, WTXF reported, when the grandma was shot in the head. Police say the woman’s two daughters who were also in the home at the time of the shooting gave first aid until help arrived.

Police say they were called to the northern Philadelphia home, in the 2300 block of 77th Avenue, at about 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 15. Officers confirmed she was shot once in the head and taken to a hospital, according to a report provided to McClatchy News.

Authorities believe this may have been an accidental shooting, though it remains under investigation, according to the Inquirer.

Two people were arrested, police told McClatchy News.

They are the woman’s grandson and one of his friends, according to WPHL.

Police told WTXF that they are searching for another friend who may have been involved in the shooting.

“We’re not sure which one of the three discharged the gun at this point,” Walker told the station.

The grandmother’s condition was not known as of March 16.

This story was originally published March 16, 2022 at 11:55 AM with the headline "80-year-old shot in head as grandson, his friends messed with gun upstairs, PA cops say."