Illinois father allegedly kills 14-year-old daughter while trying to shoot bird
Monroe County authorities say the man discharged a handgun inside to shoot a bird; the teen later died at a St. Louis hospital
A 14-year-old girl died after she was allegedly struck by a bullet that passed through a bird shot by her father inside a building, Monroe County authorities said.
Emergency responders were called to a report of a medical emergency on July 21 and found Emma Schultheis with a gunshot wound, the Monroe County Sheriff's Department said. Emergency personnel performed life-saving measures at the scene and she was later taken to a St. Louis hospital, where she died.
Investigators later determined that Emma was allegedly shot by her father, David A. Schultheis, 34, when he discharged a handgun inside a building while attempting to shoot a bird that had entered the structure, the sheriff's office said. The department said the man put his arm into the room and kept his head outside the doorway in an attempt to avoid a potential ricochet. When he fired, the bullet struck the bird, then passed through it, exited the building and struck the teenager who was outside at the time.
Emma was in Waterloo when she was shot; she lived in the village of Prairie Du Rocher, authorities said. The Monroe County Sheriff's Department opened an investigation into the shooting. The department has not disclosed whether any charges have been filed.
The sheriff's office released limited details about the sequence of events and did not identify the hospital where Emma was treated. Local officials notified law enforcement and emergency medical services after the initial 911 call, and first responders reached the scene within minutes, the department said.
Accidental shootings and injuries from firearms are the subject of ongoing public safety and health discussions nationwide. Authorities investigating this incident said they will continue to gather evidence, interview witnesses and review forensic information to determine the full circumstances surrounding the death.
The case was first reported publicly in early September. The Monroe County Sheriff's Department did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment. State or federal agencies were not identified as participating in the probe in initial releases.
Family members, neighbors and local officials have not issued public statements through law enforcement as of the latest update. The investigation remains active, and the sheriff's office said it will release more information as it becomes available.