Oakland Boy Shot in Face While Playing With Sawed-Off Shotgun

OAKLAND, Calif. – Police in Oakland say an 11-year-old boy has been shot in the face while playing with a gun he found.

KTVU-TV reports that the boy was taken Friday night to Oakland's Children's Hospital with injuries to his left eye and cheek. Police say he also may have lost a thumb.

They say the boy and a friend found a sawed-off 20-gauge shotgun in the garage of an apartment building. They say one boy was playing with the trigger and the other was holding the barrel when the gun went off and fired birdshot.

Police Sgt. Dave Cronin says it appeared the gun was being stored in the garage and that the owner kept it for self-protection.

Authorities are seeking the gun's owner, who may face charges in the incident.