Man shot by next-door neighbor accidentally, HCSO says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A 57-year-old man was shot in an accidental shooting while he was sitting on his couch watching TV, according to officials.

It happened around 1:15 p.m. Sunday in the 3000 block of Barkers Crossing Avenue in west Houston.

Sgt. Ben Beall with the Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide unit said the man's 27-year-old next-door neighbor was cleaning a gun when it accidentally went off.

"There's two pistols laying on the table, one is disassembled, the other one has had the magazine removed from the gun," explained Beall. "It's a type of pistol that you basically have to pull the trigger to remove the slide. If you don't sit there and confirm that the chamber is empty, you'll have an accidental discharge. It's actually pretty frequently that happens."

The bullet went through a wall and a window and struck the victim in the face, according to Bealle. The victim was rushed to the hospital via Life Flight, where he remains in critical but stable condition.

He said the bullet went through his jaw and he's expected to be okay. Beall said the incident was ruled an accidental injury and he does not anticipate any charges will be filed.