Two young children were injured Friday evening in two separate incidents that occurred inside an apartment and parking lot of the Vistas at Red Creek Apartments, 5751 Green Hill.

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David Lentz
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San Angelo Police were dispatched to the complex around 7:30 p.m. for reports of a child struck by a vehicle and a child shooting-victim.  Once on scene, Officers located a 7-year-old male gunshot victim and a 5-year-old male that had been struck by a vehicle in the parking lot.  During the field investigation, Officers learned these two seemingly separate incidents were connected.

Investigators soon learned the 7-year-old gunshot victim allegedly shot himself in the leg while playing with a handgun inside an apartment.  The boy gained access to the handgun from his father, 26-year-old Andrew Crittenden, who told police he thought the gun had been emptied of live rounds before he handed the gun to his son.  It was also learned that Crittenden accidentally struck a 5-year-old male victim in the parking lot when he attempted to transport his injured son to the hospital by private vehicle.  Traffic investigators later determined the child ran out into the passenger’s side of Crittenden’s 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck while Crittenden was attempting to exit apartment complex.

Crittenden’s son was transported to Shannon Medical Center by ambulance, treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the leg, and later released.  The 5-year-old was transported to San Angelo Community Medical Center, treated for minor injuries, and released.

Detectives with the Department’s Criminal Investigations Division, Crime Scene Investigations Section, and Child Protective Services responded to assist with the investigation.

Crittenden was later charged with Endangering a Child-Criminal Negligence and transported to the Tom Green County Jail without incident.

Detective Jason Chegwidden is the lead Investigator for this case.

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