What had been reported as an accidental shooting during a squirrel hunt Thursday afternoon is now being investigated as an assault case involving two Cole County teenagers.
According to information from the Cole County Sheriff's Department, the incident was called in around 1 p.m.
At that time, deputies were informed that a subject was being taken by private vehicle to a local hospital with a gunshot wound.
Apparently the victim was in the 7100 block of Campbell Road and stated he was shot in his right elbow with a .22 caliber rifle during a hunting accident.
After further investigation at the scene, and upon interviewing the victim, who was identified as Michael Berry, 17, of Cole County, investigators determined that it was not a hunting accident and took the male juvenile suspect into custody.
The juvenile was taken to the Prenger Juvenile Attention Center where he was being held as of Thursday evening and faced a charge of second-degree assault.