Police arrested a man in Colorado Springs on Tuesday night accused of accidently firing a handgun round through a wall, nearly striking a mother and her child.
Justin Westerfield, 26, faces a felony illegal discharge of a firearm charge in the case.
Officers responded to the 3700 block of East San Miguel Street about 7:30 p.m. to reports that a gunshot had been fired through an apartment wall.
“Upon arrival, officers determined a female and her child were watching television in their apartment when a handgun round penetrated the wall in their living room and nearly struck the child and female,” police said in a news release.
Police found that Westerfield was “manipulating” a handgun in an adjacent room when he unintentionally fired it through the wall.
Westerfield was booked into the El Paso County jail.
“There were no reported injuries,” police said. “Officers recovered the firearm.”
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or
