A 9-year-old boy in Bremerton, Wash. wrote a letter apologizing to a classmate who was seriously wounded after a gun discharged from his backpack, lodging a bullet in her spine.
The handwritten letter, which was written as part of a court ordered mandate, was addressed to Amina Bowman, 8, who was released from the hospital on Tuesday. The boy’s name has not been made public.
"I'm sorry I hurt you because I brought a gun to school. I did not mean for any one to get hurt," the boy wrote. "I wish everyone was okay. I made a bad choice."
The letter was written as a requirement of the boy’s sentencing when he pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor charges stemming from the shooting, which police say was an accident. The Seattle Times reports the letter was written as the boy went through counseling, another sentencing requirement the boy must go through.
Six weeks after being airlifted to Harborview Medical Center, small milestones mark Amina's recovery.
A taste of soup, those first steps, and a brownie milk shake after being discharged from the hospital are all progress that her mother posts on her Facebook page.
"What a great day!!!" Teri Bowman wrote under a picture of her smiling daughter before she came home from the hospital.
On Feb. 22. Amina was shot during class at Armin Jahr Elementary School in Bremerton.
"I made a bad choice. I was sad, scared and afraid and I did not solve my problem well," the boy told her in his letter. "I will stay away from guns."
The school was put into immediate lockdown after the incident.
MaryLou Tucker, a parent of a student at the school, said the teacher in Amina's classroom did everything she could. "She had the kids sit, get underneath their desks and then made sure that the kids were accounted for," Tucker said.
The boy's prosecution will be deferred. His mother, Jamie Lee Chaffin, and her boyfriend, Douglas L. Bauer, pleaded not guilty to third-degree assault and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to ABC affiliate KOMO.
Amina's parents said she'll likely return to school in the fall.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
Latest Stories
-
Painter and sculptor B. Acheampong turning his passion for art into profitable venture
17 minutes -
Presidential lodge, RM residency in Ashanti region left to rot away
32 minutes -
Herty Corgie highlights the essence of gratefulness in ‘My Gratitude’
2 hours -
ANNOUNCEMENT: Joy FM temporarily goes off air January 11
3 hours -
Yango honored with two titles at the Technovation Africa Awards 2024
3 hours -
Aowin Traditional Council declares war on illegal mining with spiritual intervention
3 hours -
Leadership must ensure equity for all citizens, regardless of faith – Asiedu Nketiah
3 hours -
Prof. Alex Manu appointed Executive Director at Centre for Social Justice
3 hours -
Imminent changes within some key security agencies, state institutions, and its implications
3 hours -
There are more women than men, but there’s a man for every woman – Rev. Nana Yaa
4 hours -
Nii Kwei releases ‘The Praise Medley’, a celebration of God’s goodness
4 hours -
Mistakes in team composition can be costly, pray for us – Fifi Kwetey appeals to Ghanaians
4 hours -
Mahama forms 5-member Hajj task force to cut pilgrimage costs
4 hours -
Fuel shortage hits Sissala East and West Districts
4 hours -
President Mahama orders immediate probe into 2020 and 2024 election fatalities
4 hours