Update: The Suspect has been identified as, Martin Rockwell (DOB: 02/14/1977),and was arrested on PC 246.3(a) -Willful Discharge of a Firearm in a Grossly Negligent Manner. Rockwell was transported and booked into the Vista Detention Facility on the above mentioned charge after being interviewed and processed at OPD.
Oceanside CA— Last night, December 17^th, 2016 at about 7:50pm, Oceanside Police Officers responded to a reported shooting at the apartment complex located in the 400 block of Vandegrift Blvd. OPD Officers arrived on scene and found an 11-year-old victim near the pool area with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his hand. The child was transported to Children’s Hospital via Air-Ambulance and is in stable condition. The victim essentially stated he was skateboarding near the pool area with two friends and sustained the injury to his hand by an unknown source. The victim stated he heard a loud single pop then noticed the injury to his hand.
OPD Officers canvased the area and located the crime scene and several witnesses. One witness was contacted inside his apartment. This adult male subject eventually told officers he was unloading his .223 caliber rifle and accidently fired a bullet through the exterior wall of his apartment. Officers found one bullet hole in the exterior of the building in the same area as where the children were playing.
The shooting suspect was detained and transported to the Oceanside Police Department for further investigation. Oceanside Police Duty Detectives responded to the scene and assumed the investigation. This investigation continues at this time.