Update at 6 p.m. Tuesday
JACKSON, Ohio (WSAZ) -- A child's game of cops and robbers took a tragic twist, according to the father of a 4-year-old boy who shot his babysitter with a shotgun.

William Crisp is fighting to keep his son from state custody while a prosecutor decides on possible criminal charges.

Crisp and Jackson County Sheriff's deputies agree that the single buckshot blast from the old 20-gauge shotgun could have been much worse. The 17-year-old male babysitter sustained an arm wound during the incident.

"He's fine," Crisp said. "His arm will be fine. He's not pressing charges."

Jackson County Chief Sheriff's Deputy Jim Ephlin said, "He's lucky. "If it was a deer slug, he could have been severely injured or killed."

The babysitter and another teen were watching three younger children Sunday night at a rural mobile home just outside of Jackson. That's when all agree that the babysitter accidentally stepped on the 4-year-old boy's foot, and he responded.

"They didn't know he was going to grab a real gun," Crisp said. "It shocked everybody."

Crisp is terrified that Children's Services will take his son away for what he insists was a freak accident.

Crisp said his son picked up the shotgun shell from a living room drawer and got the gun from a rear closet. He said the babysitter assumed the little boy was going for one of his many toy guns.

"He did not intend to hurt or kill him," Crisp said.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jonathan Blanton said he can't imagine filing assault charges against a 4-year-old child.

"There's no place to put a 4 year old, but we may file charges against the adults," he said.

But Crisp said he's not guilty of child endangerment.

"I"ve taught my son to respect guns," he said. "It was a pure accident."

Crisp said Children's Services insists that his son get counseling. He said the agency also is ordering him to get any gun -- real or toy -- along with any saw, hammer, nails -- anything active -- out of the home for good.

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Original story
JACKSON, Ohio (WSAZ) -- Deputies say a bizarre shooting Sunday night involved a 4-year-old wielding a shotgun.

The Jackson County, Ohio, Sheriff says some teenagers were babysitting some younger children in a mobile home just outside Jackson.

The police report says a 4-year-old got angry after 18-year-old Nathan Beavers stepped on his foot.

The reports say the boy then went into a back room, loaded a shell in a 20-gauge shotgun, came out and shot Beavers in the arm. The babysitter was hospitalized, but the injury was not life-threatening.

Another teen was also hit with shotgun pellets.

The sheriff says possible violations include aggravated assault against the 4-year-old, and child endangerment against the babysitting victim. Right now, the sheriff is not sure yet if anyone will be charged.

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