Two teens hurt when gun discharges

COEUR d'ALENE — Two teenagers were injured Monday night when a handgun accidentally discharged at a Coeur d'Alene home.

Coeur d'Alene Police Capt. Dave Hagar said the teens suffered minor injuries from a single gunshot and were treated at Kootenai Health.

He said police were still investigating the incident on Tuesday afternoon. There were at least seven juveniles in the home when the gun went off and police were getting mixed stories about what happened.

Hagar said it was not a threatening situation, but an accident.

Police said the incident happened in the 1900 block of North Eighth Street. Hagar said it was not a party, but teens hanging out.

Teresa Kaiser, principal of Venture High School, sent out a letter to families that said:

"Last night, two Venture High School students were injured in an incident at a private residence. There is an active police investigation underway, and we are not able to share further details at this time.

"We want you to know that at no time was there a threat to our school campus, and everyone is safe. Our District’s Crisis Assistance Team is on campus today to provide support. We have let students and staff know that if they are struggling and would like to talk to someone, counselors are available."

Hagar called it a good opportunity for parents to talk to their children about the importance of firearm safety, as well as for parents to know what their kids are doing.