West Hills Man Accidentally Shoots Friend
A 20-year-old West Hills man showing off a .22-caliber rifle to a group of friends Sunday accidentally shot a 17-year-old in the face, critically wounding him, authorities said.
The unidentified victim, also from West Hills, was taken to Northridge Hospital Medical Center, where he underwent a CAT scan to determine whether the bullet had penetrated his brain, said Los Angeles Police Lt. Jeff Hulet.
Russel Rayburn, 20, was booked on suspicion of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, Hulet said. Possession of such a weapon is a felony, he said.
Rayburn was at his parents’ house showing the gun to about half a dozen friends when the gun went off at about 2:50 p.m., Hulet said.
Witnesses told police that Rayburn was “horsing around with the rifle,” pointing it at different people in the room before the accident, Hulet said.
Hulet said the wounded teen-ager was shot from a distance of 10 to 12 feet. “He’s very lucky to be alive.”
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