Bloomington teen told police shooting was accidental

Posted on October 9, 2017

Emerial Tutwiler has been jailed on a $100,000 bond on reckless discharge of a firearm charges. (Photo courtesy McLean County Jail).

By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – A Bloomington man claims he accidentally shot a 14-year-old boy in the face over the weekend, leaving the boy in critical condition.

Bond for Emerial Tutwiler, 18, was set at $100,000 as he was formally charged Sunday with reckless discharge of a firearm following the incident at home in the 1400 block of North Lee Street on Saturday afternoon.

In court documents, Bloomington Police officers said when they arrived at the home, Tutwiler put his hands in the air and said “I did this. It was an accident.” He told police he took the gun out of the box and “it just went off” and said he never meant to point the gun at the boy.

Police said the victim was laying on the floor groaning and was unable to answer questions.

Police spoke with a relative who was in the basement at the time. He told police Tutwiler and the boy were the only other ones in the house at the time.

It’s not known if Tutwiler and the victim knew each other.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

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