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‘He was so dumb:' Man accidentally shoots girl in Morningside home

PITTSBURGH — A 13-year-old girl is recovering Friday after police said she was accidentally shot by a man who was showing off his gun.

Investigators said the shooting happened inside a home on Jancey Street in Morningside Thursday night.

Neighbor Joan Thorpe said her great-granddaughter was inside the home at time of the accident. At first, she thought a dog was shot but quickly learned it was the teen.

“I look over and Bear stands up and drops the gun,” Thorpe’s great granddaughter Alyssa Noftz said. “He is just this face of confusion and shock.”

“Bear” is the name of the man police said fired the shot. Investigators said he was inside the house showing Thorpe’s son the gun when it went off.

Noftz said she helped the victim until emergency responders arrived.

“I’m holding the towel down, and I’m trying to get my belt tight across her thigh so it can slow the bleeding to it,” Noftz said.

Police said the man who fired the shot took off running, but later turned himself in. He is facing reckless endangerment charges.

“I’m mad. I’m upset that he had a gun loaded, and that he was so dumb. I don’t know why on earth the gun was loaded. That was a very, very stupid thing,” said Thorpe.

Police said the 13-year-old victim is expected to make a full recovery.