SEDGWICK COUNTY — A 19-year-old man made his initial court appearance on Tuesday following an unintentional shooting that left a young girl injured in Wichita earlier this month.
Diego Moreno-Espinoza has been formally charged with one count of aggravated battery, according to officials with the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.
Emergency Response and Investigation
The incident occurred on the morning of July 3. According to Wichita Police Department spokesman Bradly Wright, officers responded to a shooting with injury call just before 9:00 a.m. in the vicinity of South Hillside and George Washington Boulevard.
Upon arrival, emergency responders located a 12-year-old girl suffering from a gunshot wound to her stomach. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) transported the victim to a local hospital, where she was listed in serious but stable condition.
Preliminary investigative findings indicate that the girl was accidentally shot by Moreno-Espinoza in the 2300 block of South Laura Street.
Immigration Hold Ordered
Following his arrest by the Wichita Police Department, authorities confirmed that Moreno-Espinoza is an undocumented immigrant. In addition to the state-level felony assault charge, he is currently being held on a federal detainer for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
