For the police officer, the man’s body language was the giveaway. His combative stance and his abrupt hand movement hinted at the possibility of danger.A Wells County teen was shot and severely wounded Saturday afternoon in what appears to be a gun-cleaning accident, according to the Indiana State Police.
The 18-year-old victim and his 19-year-old friend were at a home just outside Markle when the shooting happened about 1:15 p.m.
While the two were cleaning guns, a handgun the 19-year-old was handling fired a .45-caliber bullet that struck the 18-year-old in the head, police said.
The victim was taken to a Fort Wayne hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. He was listed in critical condition, police said.
The Wells County Sheriff's Department and the Indiana State Police are investigating the shooting. The names of the young men were not released.
aingersoll@jg.net
