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Deputies: Child accidentally shot by man who was looking after him

Posted at 8:40 PM, Apr 14, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-15 00:08:38-04

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A child is fighting for his life at the hospital after being shot on accident by a man who was responsible for looking after him.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, a young boy was taken to the hospital with a single gunshot wound "in the lower torso" on March 13. According to deputies, an adult who was with the boy, 28-year-old Anthony Rodriguez, accidentally shot the boy.

Rodriguez told deputies he thought the gun was empty when he pulled the trigger. The boy was moved from Brandon Regional Hospital to Tampa General Hospital due to the "severity of his injuries," deputies said.

Weeks after the incident, deputies charged Rodriguez with child neglect with great bodily harm.