An Alabama teen is in a serious condition after her stepfather mistook her for an intruder breaking into their home and shot her.
The incident took place shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday when the 15-year-old girl was dropped off at her home in Clayton after visiting a friend’s house, news station WIAT reported.
As the teen’s parents were not expecting her to return that night, they “heard the garage door open and thought someone was breaking into the home,” Jefferson County Sheriff Sgt. Joni Money told the Trussville Tribune.
The stepfather fetched a firearm and went to investigate the noise, authorities said. When he encountered the teen, he opened fire, shooting her in the abdomen.
She was rushed to a local hospital, where she is reportedly being treated for serious injuries.
The identities of the stepfather and the teen haven’t been released.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the incident, and it’s not clear whether any charges have been filed in the case.