According to Orwigsburg Police, around12:30 p.m., the Orwigsburg Police was notified by the Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill East campus emergency department that an 8-year-old gunshot victim had arrived at their facility.
The hospital told police that the child’s father, Nevin Ebener, admitted to the act and claimed it to have been accidental.
The shooting occurred at Ebener’s apartment in the 200 block of E. Market Street in Orwigsburg around 11:30 a.m. Witnesses who live near the apartment heard the gunshot when the incident occurred.
An investigation by police revealed that the child was shot once at close range in the living room area of the residence with a .45 caliber 1911 handgun.
The child was rushed to LVHN-Schuylkill East where he was initially treated before being transferred via air ambulance to LVHN-Cedar Crest.
The child is currently listed in stable condition, but has incurred a broken left arm, a broken pelvis, and massive internal injuries as a result of being shot.
After being interviewed by police, Ebener admitted to horsing around with his son in the apartment before the incident occurred.
At one point, the child had his own BB gun out and asked his father to see his “real” gun.
Ebener pulled the loaded firearm out of the cabinet in the kitchen where he stored it and laid it on the kitchen counter before turning around to make coffee.
When the child asked again to see the firearm, Ebener stated that he started brewing his coffee, turned around, picked the firearm up off the counter and claimed that the gun “just went off”, striking his son. Ebener admitted to having his finger on the trigger when the gun went off.
A search of the residence resulted in the finding of not only the firearm used in the incident, but other firearms located in various places within the residence that were not secured or out of reach of the child.
Also found within the residence was a variety of drugs and drug paraphernalia, also within reach of the child that Ebener admitted were his.
Police said "based upon the reckless and negligent behavior surrounding this incident which clearly indicates Ebener’s failure to provide a duty of care and protection for the child".
Ebener was charged with aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a firearm, simple assault, simple assault with a firearm, endangering the welfare of a child, recklessly endangering another person, possession of drugs, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Ebener was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Christina Hale and was remanded to the Schuylkill County Prison unable to post bail, which was set at 10% of $75,000.
The Orwigsburg Police were assisted in this investigation by Schuylkill County Children and Youth Services, the Schuylkill Haven Police Department, and the Pottsville Police Department
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