Investigators say friends believed the gun was unloaded before it discharged, leaving a 17-year-old with life-threatening injuries.
WHITEHALL, Ohio — Whitehall police say a firearm believed to be unloaded discharged while friends were handling it Tuesday night, critically injuring a 17-year-old and leading officers to arrest an 18-year-old on a felonious assault charge.
The account from police provides additional detail about what investigators believe happened before officers were called shortly after 10 p.m. Nov. 10 to Robinwood Avenue near East Broad Street. Officers found the teenager seriously wounded, and medics took him to Mount Carmel East Hospital in critical condition.
Lt. Tanner Williams said the group was at another friend’s home and that the 18-year-old had a firearm. According to Williams, those involved believed the gun was unloaded before it was pointed toward the 17-year-old and discharged. Police have not publicly released a detailed reconstruction of the shooting beyond that preliminary account.
Investigators identified the arrested man as Michael O. Hairston II, 18. Police took Hairston into custody at the scene and later booked him into the Franklin County jail on a felonious assault charge. The charge remains an allegation, and the available reporting does not establish a final court disposition.
The teenager remained in critical condition with life-threatening injuries as of Wednesday morning, Williams said. Authorities have not publicly identified him in the reports reviewed for this story, and a later confirmed update on his medical condition was not available.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation assisted with processing the scene as Whitehall police continued their investigation. No motive has been announced, and authorities have not reported evidence in the reviewed accounts suggesting the shooting was part of a broader confrontation.
Williams emphasized firearm-handling and storage precautions after describing investigators’ preliminary understanding of the incident. He said firearms should be treated as loaded and should not be pointed at anything a person does not intend to shoot. He also urged secure storage when children or other unauthorized people could have access to guns.
The police account remains subject to further investigation. Authorities had not released additional evidence establishing exactly how the firearm was handled immediately before it discharged or whether investigators expected additional charges.
Hairston had been expected in court Thursday. The reporting reviewed for this article did not provide a verified outcome from that proceeding. Whitehall police were continuing to investigate while the teenager’s latest confirmed condition remained critical.
Author note: Last updated November 12, 2026.