Hamilton police arrest 18-year-old after girl shot in leg

Hamilton police have arrested an 18-year-old man after a girl was found with a gunshot wound in a Hamilton alleyway last week.

Jacob Cleland has been charged with careless use of a firearm and unauthorized possession of firearm.

Last Thursday, officers responded to reports of a shooting near King St. and Stirton Ave. When police arrived, they found a 15-year-old girl with a gunshot wound to her leg.

She was taken to hospital by Hamilton EMS with non-life threatening injuries.

Investigators discovered that the actual shooting didn’t happen in the alleyway but inside a residence in the area of Arthur St. and King St. East.

Police say the injured teen and five friends, all between the ages of 15 to 18, were hanging out inside the home when one of the men began showing off a gun to the group.

The gun discharged and hit the girl in the leg. The group then dispersed from the area and were not cooperating with police.

Cleland has been opposed bail by police and will appear before the courts to answer to the charges.