A 26-year-old man from the Ninepipes area is being charged with negligent homicide following the shooting death of a 3-year-old boy earlier this week, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
The Lake County Attorney’s Office is charging Galen Hawk after an investigation by the sheriff’s office. Hawk will appear in court either Friday afternoon or Monday, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
On Oct. 22, authorities responded to a residence between Ronan and St. Ignatius where a 3-year-old boy had suffered a gunshot wound to the torso. The firearm was a small-caliber handgun. The toddler was taken to the hospital in Ronan, where he later died.
Authorities have not said what circumstances led to the shot being fired, but they are calling it an accident.
Hawk was not related to the victim but was a resident in the house where the shooting occurred, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
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