Houston Mom Charged after She Tried to Shoot Neighbor's Dog, but Accidentally Shot Her Son, 5

A 24-year-old woman faces charges of deadly conduct with a firearm after accidentally shooting her son while targetting the neighbor's dog.

The rate of gun violence and shooting incidents have been on the rise in recent months, and a recent occurrence in north Houston has left many bewildered.

It involves a 24-year-old woman identified as Angelia Mia Vargas, who has now been charged with deadly conduct with a firearm after accidentally shooting her five-year-old son.

Vargas was trying to shoot a neighbor's dog named Bruno, running into the street. The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon at 700 Dunham Road.

Neighbors said Vargas, her son, and another relative rode their bikes down the street when Bruno, a 6-month-old boxer puppy, ran out. Bruno's owner narrated the incident, saying:

"I came out of my house because Bruno was barking and barking. I thought my brother was coming. So, I open the door just a little bit and he comes running out."

A CCTV video showed the moment Bruno ran out of the house, with his owner screaming at him to get back inside the house. However, the dog disobeyed and roamed out onto the street.

Within a second, multiple gunshots were heard, followed by screams. Vargas had inadvertently shot her son in a bid to shoot the running dog.

A Phoenix mother was arrested after accidentally opening fire on her 13-year-old son while trying to break up a fight.

The little boy was immediately transported to the hospital. He was in a stable condition and only sustained non-life-threatening wounds after one of the three bullets his mom allegedly shot from a small-caliber pistol hit him in the stomach.

Bruno's owner felt Vargas could have handled the situation differently. He explained that nothing could have happened to her son despite the running dog because he was there, her husband was there, and she was also there.

He also expressed his sympathy towards the little boy injured in the incident. Meanwhile, Bruno was grazed on one leg following the incident. The pup's owner also bagged a Class C misdemeanor citation for having a loose dog.

The incident is somewhat similar to another in November 2020 when a woman accidentally shot her one-year-old child during a dispute with a neighbor in Detroit over a food delivery mix-up. The baby was critically injured.

In November 2019, a Phoenix mother was arrested after accidentally opening fire on her 13-year-old son while trying to break up a fight between two others. The boy was seriously injured as a result.

These cases show many people with guns do not know how to handle them. Care should be taken when handling dangerous weapons to avoid hurting a loved one or other persons.