COLUMBUS, Ohio — A 13-year-old boy is recovering after he and another teen were shot Tuesday night.
Yusef Kargbel's mother Sierra Garmany said her son was shot twice. She added that he is awake and responsive just a day after he was shot.
"I said 'Son, you could've been dead you know that'...he shook his head,” Garmany said.
Garmany said her son was spending the night at a friend’s house and was supposed to go home to his father’s. She said he didn’t.
Around 8 p.m., she got a notification on her phone from the Citizens app of a shooting at the address where her son was.
“When I saw it, my heart dropped, and I instantly jumped up.”
Columbus Police said a 12-year-old boy was arrested for what they’re calling an accidental shooting.
Garmany said her son could’ve died.
"The lung wasn't hit. He has bullet fragments around his lungs. He has three holes and he has a hole in his back,” she said.
Garmany said her son often hangs out with the wrong crowd. She said she can monitor him while he is within the house, but once he steps out, all she can do is pray that he makes the right decisions.
"My son has a mother, he has a father, he has a family that cares about him, and we want the best for him...we don't allow this,” said Garmany.
Garmany wants this to be a serious lesson and reminder to kids that guns are not toys and shootings can be life-shattering.
"This is not a game. You guys can lose your life...leave the guns alone put the guns down,” she said.
Columbus police said the circumstances around the shooting are not known at this time and the investigation is ongoing.