An 8-year-old boy suffered a suspicious injury at a Renton park on the evening of Memorial Day.
The boy and his family were leaving Riverview Park around 6:15 p.m. that Monday night. The boy's mother noticed him acting strangely and discovered a wound in side.
The family took him to Overlake Hospital in Bellevue, where staff called Bellevue Police, believing the child's injury was a gunshot wound.
The boy was later transferred to Harborview Medical Center, but has since been released and continues to recover at home.
The child's mother told Renton Police she heard a "pop" that she assumed was fireworks right before discovering her son was wounded.
Renton Police have now determined the boy was struck with a projectile, specifically a .177 pellet similar to what is fired from a compressed air gun.
"We believe the child may have been shot by an air rifle," said Renton Police. "It is unknown if the child was targeted or if this was an accidental/inadvertent act. If you have any information about anyone shooting in the woods towards the river please contact Detective Jarratt at 425-430-7526. If it is after hours, please call our non-emergency line at 425-235-2121. Reference case 19-5888.”
Riverview Park is located in the 3200 block of Maple Valley Highway in Renton.