Bullet meant for 17-year-old drug suspect, hits and kills 7-year-old boy in Consolacion

A 7-year-old boy died last Saturday after he was hit by a stray bullet fired by two men chasing a 17-year-old boy, who was believed to be involved in illegal drugs, in Sitio Latasan, Barangay Cansaga, Consolacion town in northern Cebu.

The 7-year-old boy, who was wounded in the stomach, was rushed to the Eversly Children’s Sanitarium and General hospital but he was later transferred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center where doctors declared him dead on arrival, said PO1 Rechie Gilleran of the Consolacion Police Station.

Investigation showed that the two armed men, who were wearing bonnets, chased the 17-year-old boy and his 17-year-old girlfriend, who were hanging out in Cansaga River bank at past 8 p.m.

They fired at them but the teenagers escaped.

Gilleran said at that time, the 7-year-old boy was watching television with his parents in their home in the area when a stray bullet fired from one of the assailants’ guns, hit him in the stomach.

Gilleran said the 17-year-old boy, who was suspected to have sold illegal drugs in the area, was the target of the gunmen.

The two men fled after they failed to kill their target.

Police were still investigating the incident.