Bullet to belly ends kids' crime game

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Bernalillo County sheriff's deputies said an 8-year-old boy was accidentally shot in the stomach by his uncle Thursday.

Initially the boy's 17-year-old uncle told police the boy had shot himself but eventually he fessed up and told them what really happened.

Sergeant Mark Kmatz with the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office said the teen and three other kids were at his house in a gated, mobile home community near Coors Boulevard SW and Gun Club Road.

The group was playing a game of 'cops and robbers' when the teen said somehow his handgun went off hitting his nephew in the belly.

The boy was taken to University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. He was rushed into surgery, and deputies said doctors expected the boy to live. His uncle was taken into custody.

Deputies said the teen told the other kids to tell investigators the boy shot himself so that he would not get in trouble.  They said the teen even hid the gun and shell casing.

No parents were home when this all happened.

"Right now in the grand scheme of things it's a tragic accident," Kmatz said.  "When we start looking at a parent's involvement and what they could be doing to prevent these kinds of things, it starts to turn criminal."

No names have been released, but Kmatz told News 13 the teen could face a number of charges including child abuse, intimidating a witness and tampering with evidence.

The teen told investigators he got the gun off the streets. Kmatz said if it turns out the gun was stolen he could face additional charges for that.

Listen here to the dramatic 911 tape of the family calling 911 after the boy was shot.