This browser does not support the Video element.
Boy, 9, hit in neck by stray bullet in shooting at familys Antioch smoke shop
A 17-year-old boy was arrested after opened fire inside a smoke shop, targeting a man but instead hitting a 9-year-old boy in the back room of the business, according to Antioch police
ANTIOCH, Calif. - A 9-year-old boy was shot in Antioch on Sunday afternoon, and a 17-year-old suspect was arrested on suspicion of the crime.
Antioch Police Department officers were called to a smoke shop on Sunset Drive on reports of the shooting and found the boy injured at the scene at about 4:40 p.m. Sunday.
The boy was airlifted to a hospital and listed in critical condition.
The suspect's name was not released due to his age.
Antioch police Lt. Bill Whitaker said the 17-year-old suspect saw a man at the smoke shop with whom he had an ongoing feud, pulled a gun and fired many shots. None of them hit the man, but one hit the 9-year-old boy in the neck as the victim was in the back room of the smoke shop, which is owned by his uncle, authorities said.
"It's unfortunate that it happened, and he had nothing to do with the incident," Whitaker said of the victim. "Having it be a child of this age is obviously a little more serious and harder for officers and investigators to deal with."
A worker at the smoke shop who didn't want to be identified told KTVU the victim was recovering.
"He's doing great," he said. "He's pretty strong. He took the bullet."
The worker said the gunfire erupted without warning.
"He was just playing a game. He was playing with toys," the worker said of the 9-year-old boy. "And then a customer just walked in and started shooting at the other customer."
Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan
The Source: Anitoch Police Department, KTVU reporting