Amador County – An El Dorado Hills boy was shot and killed by a pellet gun while playing at a neighbor’s house last Tuesday, Nov. 29.

El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department released details of the incident, saying that sheriff’s detectives are currently investigating the fatal shooting. Various news agencies identified the boy as 10-year-old Keegan Swinney.

A “Swinney Memorial Fund” has been established at American River Bank in the boy’s memory, and checks made payable to the fund may be brought to Silva Valley Elementary School in El Dorado Hills, or to any American River Bank branch.

El Dorado Sheriff’s spokesman Bryan Golmitz said that at about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, “the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported shooting on Waterman Court in El Dorado Hills.”

According to preliminary information, Golmitz said, “a male juvenile was shot with a pellet gun by a neighbor juvenile while playing at the neighbor’s residence. The juvenile who was shot ran back to his residence and told family members what had happened and then collapsed.”

The “family members administered first aid and medics responded,” Golmitz said. “The juvenile was transported to Mercy Folsom for treatment. Unfortunately the male juvenile succumbed to his injuries and died at the hospital.”

The Sacramento Bee reported Friday that the weapon was a Remington Airmaster .177 and that Swinney’s friend was “cradling, not aiming” the gun when it fired and struck the boy. The model is a pump-action, shoulder-braced air-powered pellet and bb gun.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.