Woman suffers gunshot wound, Beatrice Police arrest suspect

BEATRICE – Beatrice Police have arrested a 35-year-old man after a woman suffered a gunshot wound to her leg.

Authorities arrested Mitchell Brooks on suspicion of second-degree assault, possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person, discharge of a firearm at a person and use of a weapon to commit a felony.

Just before midnight Wednesday, an officer responded to a home in the one-hundred block of North 9th Street on a report that a female had suffered a gunshot wound to her leg.

The officer entering the back door of the home observed the victim unresponsive, laying on the floor with blood beginning to pool around her legs The officer observed a gunshot wound to her upper left leg…and he placed a tourniquet around her leg. Lieutenant Jay Murphy says the victim was transported for medical treatment to a Lincoln hospital.  "She was treated and in stable condition. She was transferred to Bryan, in Lincoln."

Authorities say the male suspect said he was holding a pistol when the firearm “went off” in his hands. He told police he unloaded the firearm and placed it on the counter prior to police arriving.  "The victim, witness and suspect all said it was an accidental shooting," Murphy said.

While being taken for treatment, police said the victim regained consciousness and told an officer Brooks had been demonstrating how to stop a hammer from falling in case someone pointed a revolver at her. That’s when the gun discharged, hitting the victim in the leg.  Murphy says Mitchell was prohibited from having the weapon due to a prior incident from out-of-state.

"A majority of his crimes took place in Texas. He did have a prior possession of a weapon by a prohibited person...he did have prior charge of that. All of his convictions were in Texas."

Both Mitchell and the victim reside at the address. In addition to a witness who is also a resident of the home, a child was sleeping in another room at the time.