10-year-old shooting victim identified

CUSTER TWP. — Amy Resendez, 10, of Wyoming, Mich., was accidentally shot by her 11-year-old brother Saturday afternoon while camping with her family on the Pere Marquette River.

A Mason County Sheriff’s Office report stated the pellet from the high powered air pellet gun struck Resendez in the head just below the eye. She and her family were camping on an island in the Pere Marquette River just north of of Cable Road, about a mile east of the Custer Road bridge, according to Sheriff Jeff Fiers. The incident happened shortly before 3 p.m.

“It appears to have been purely accidental,” Fiers said.

The girl was transported by a commercial fisherman on the river and taken to the boat launch along Custer Road. An interpreter was called in to communicate with the girl. She was then taken to Memorial Medical Center by Life EMS and then was airlifted to a Grand Rapids hospital.

Fiers said Sunday that Resendez was in critical condition. “We can just keep her in our prayers and hope for the best,” he said.

Custer and Scottville fire departments along with Mason County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources, Scottville Police Dept. and Life EMS responded to the area.

About an hour after the incident, sheriff’s officials were still investigating on the river and along the banks. They returned to the boat launch with the air gun along with several items of clothing.

Story and photo by Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief