Fresno father beats up friend who accidentally shot his 3-year-old son, police say

A Fresno man who is suspected of accidentally shooting his friend’s 3-year-old boy in the leg while visiting was arrested on various felony crimes, a Fresno police lieutenant said Sunday.

Lt. Steve Card identified the suspect as 27-year-old Adam Arciga. He faces felony charges of suspicion of child endangerment, discharging a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm among other allegations.

“The suspect responsible for the shooting was visiting the home when the incident occurred,” Card said.

Arciga ended up in the hospital, too, after the toddler’s father assaulted him following the handgun’s discharge, Lt. Leslie Williams said on Saturday night.

Arciga was in stable condition on Sunday, Card said.

The boy’s father, Card said, has not been arrested as police are conducting an investigation into the incident. The child was treated at a hospital for a non-life threatening wound to the leg.

The incident took place about 8:30 p.m. Saturday in the 400 block of San Pablo Avenue. Williams said police learned of the incident when a woman arrived at Community Regional Medical Center with the 3-year-old who had been shot in the leg.

Williams said investigators learned the boy was in his home with his parents and family friend, Arciga who was fiddling with a handgun. When it discharged, it wounded the boy. As the mother sped to the hospital with the toddler, the father stayed behind and assaulted his friend, who ended up also being taken to the hospital.

This story was originally published February 26, 2023 at 7:52 AM.