MONTEVIDEO -- A 17-year-old Montevideo boy was on life support at a Minneapolis hospital Friday after accidentally shooting himself in the head with a handgun.
According to a news release from Montevideo Police Department, Trent Robert Demaris was found lying on a garage floor with a gunshot wound to his head when police responded around 9 p.m. to a residence on the 200 block of Third Street North.
Demaris was first transported to Chippewa County-Montevideo Hospital and later flown to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis.
According to the news release, Demaris is on life support pending organ donation and will be removed from life support after the procedure's completion.
Sgt. Ken Schuley of the Montevideo Police Department said Friday the department suspects the shooting was accidental after preliminary investigations. The department believes there was some kind of mishandling of the handgun, according to the news release. Following the incident, 20-year-old Victor Manuel Sanchez of Montevideo was arrested for a related offense. According to the news release, Sanchez admitted to handling the handgun involved in the shooting on a couple of occasions. The department believes the handgun involved was stolen from another jurisdiction.
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Schuley said he could not release more information about the arrest at this point.
"It's separate from the shooting incident," Schuley said, "but it involved the gun that was used in that case."
Schuley said the department expects Sanchez to be arraigned for charges related to the handgun, including possession of a firearm by a felon. Since October 2005, Sanchez has been convicted of two felonies -- second-degree burglary and fleeing a peace officer. A third felony against Sanchez for first-degree burglary - possession of a dangerous weapon was dismissed in December 2005.
The Montevideo Police Department is continuing to investigate. The Chippewa County Sheriff's Department assisted at the scene.
