By Roger Lanse

Grant County Sheriff's Office deputies were dispatched to Gila Regional Medical Center on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2024, at about 11:19 p.m., in reference to a juvenile who had shot himself at an unknown address in Bayard. According to a GCSO offense report, deputies made contact with the juvenile male,14-year-old Quintin Hodges of Silver City, and the victim's 28-year-old brother, Xavier Padilla, who had driven Hodges to the GRMC-ER.

Hodges stated he was at a friend's house in Bayard and was "messing with" a semi-automatic handgun when it discharged. Deputies determined Hodges had been shot with a 9mm handgun, the bullet entering the inner side of his left knee and exiting on the outer side of that knee.

Padilla said when he got to the Bayard house there were people there helping to stop the bleeding. A friend had placed a belt around Hodges' leg above the wound to stop the bleeding. Neither Hodges, Padilla, Hodges' other brothers, or, Hodges' mother, could, or would, say where it happened or who the friends were, saying they didn't want to get others involved, or they didn't remember, or "I'd rather not say."

Deputies were led to believe the incident may have occurred near Royal and Lusk streets and based on prior incidents involving juveniles at the residence at 717 Lusk Street checked that address. The report said, they found drops of blood on the front steps leading up to the door. Having permission to enter the home, deputies saw blood smeared on the floor and blood on the bedsheets in a bedroom. In the kitchen, a pair of medical gloves with blood on them were found along with a blood-soaked washcloth and paper towels in the kitchen trash. They were unable to find a firearm or any bullet holes in the bedroom.

A male was also seen in the backyard and due to his uncooperative behavior was placed in investigative detention and released later.

Asked by deputies whether he had shot himself or if someone else had shot him, Hodges said, "No, I shot myself while playing with the handgun."

According to the report, GCSO determined the wound was self-inflicted, and the juveniles involved were uncooperative with deputies, and there were no criminal charges to pursue at this time.