SAINT JOSEPH, Mo., Nov. 26 (UPI) -- An 11-year-old Missouri boy survived being accidentally shot in the cheek by his father who was teaching him about gun safety, police said.
The boy was shot Friday at a home in St. Joseph, the [St. Joseph] News-Press reported.
"They were back in a bedroom cleaning guns and planning a hunting trip and were discussing gun safety, ironically enough," Detective Richard Shelton said. "The boy was very lucky. Although it caused serious damage, there didn't appear to be any life-threatening injuries."
Shelton said the bullet first struck the boy's hand, which was resting on his face, potentially slowing the bullet enough to prevent deeper damage.
"We actually found the boy up walking, and he was able to walk to the ambulance," Shelton said. "He was transported to Heartland, where they decided to taken him by air ambulance to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City for further treatment. The projectile was still lodged back below his jaw."
The father and son's names were not reported.
