A 15-year-old girl from Malabon remains confined in the ICU after being hit by a stray bullet, which, according to doctors and her parents, was caused by indiscriminate firing. However, local police say that it was because of a shooting incident in the area.
Her entire family is hoping for a miracle
Emilyn Villanueva Calano remains comatose in her hospital bed, her condition critical. Her entire family is hoping for a miracle, since her doctors have said that it would be very difficult for her to recover from what happened.
The damage to Emilyn's brain has been recorded as a 3, or the lowest and most dangerous on the Glasgow coma scale.
The doctors add that if they were to operate on Emilyn's head to remove the stray bullet, it would be incredibly risky, and could possibly pose even more danger.
Emilyn is currently being kept alive by machines and drugs that are used to keep her blood pressure up.
The police claim it wasn't a stray bullet
Regarding the incident, local police in Malabon are adamant that Emilyn's injury wasn't caused by a stray bullet, but rather, by a suspect who attempted to kill his neighbor, "Pat".
Malabon Police chief Senior Supt. John Chua shares, "Pat told us that their neighbor who went into a shooting spree was his enemy. He said that the suspect cursed him then pulled out a gun and tried to shoot him."
"He said that he ran fast when the suspect fired at him."
"Pat said that the suspect was mad at him. He was accused of divulging the suspect’s illegal activities. The suspect took advantage that many people were lighting firecrackers. He planned to kill Pat on New Year’s eve."
However, doctors and her parents refuse to believe the PNP's findings, citing the vertical trajectory of the bullet means that it was because of a stray bullet.
Regardless of whether or not it was a case of indiscriminate firing, or an angry neighbor, the fact still remains that guns should never be fired indiscriminately, especially in crowded places.
Go to the next page to learn more about gun safety.
Safety around guns is very important
A lot of people believe that having a gun at home is important when it comes to keeping their family safe. However, there are a lot of risks involved when it comes to owning a gun. Here's some important information:
- Ask yourself: "Do I really need a gun?" This by far is the most important question that you need to ask yourself. Some people feel safer at home if there's a gun around, but are you sure that you can handle the responsibility and risks that are involved?
- Having guns at home makes it more dangerous to live there. Statistically speaking, having a gun at home makes it a more dangerous place to live in. You're actually more likely to shoot someone by accident rather than shoot an intruder. There's also the risk that a child can get the gun and accidentally shoot someone.
- Make sure to practice gun safety should you choose to have a gun at home. Having a gun at home entails a lot of responsibilities, and it's important for all gun owners to be responsible. Make sure to follow proper gun safety tips, and always keep the gun locked in a safe place.
- At the end of the day, it's your decision to make. There really is no right or wrong answer when it comes to the question of having a gun in your home. At the end of the day, you have to understand both the pros and cons, and think about whether or not the risk of having a gun at home is worth it.
Source: gmanetwork.com, news.mb.com.ph, safewise.com
READ: Stray bullet kills 12-year-old girl during Simbang Gabi
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