Morristown boy going home after getting shot in the eye by a BB gun

A Morristown boy who was hospitalized after a BB was shot through his eye and got lodged into his brain is going home from the hospital.

Desray Mullins said her 12-year-old son Gage was playing outside with some other boys on December 28 when the incident occurred. Gage told WVLT News reporter Justin McDuffie that they were playing with a BB gun.

"We were messing around with the BB gun," Gage said. The boy said he shot the gun first, and then another boy shot the gun at him, striking Gage in the eye.

Mullins said the shooting happened between 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m., and Gage was rushed to Morristown-Hamblen before eventually being transported to East Tennessee Children's Hospital.

Mullins said one of the boys shot at Gage and didn't think that it would hit the 12-year-old. She said the other boys hid the gun in the woods after the shooting and that the BB gun has since been found.

According to Mullins, the BB bullet went through her son's eye and got stuck in his brain, and doctors have elected to not take it out.

"He's a walking, talking miracle," said Marty, Gage's father.

Mullins said medical professionals believed removing the bullet would do more harm than good.

"They said they aren't going to make me do surgery unless it gets infected," Gage said.

Mullins said Gage will have to wear a medical bracelet preventing an MRI, and he will have to be watched constantly for fevers and infection in the next year. She also said he would be on seizure medication for a while and will never be able to play football or head-contact sports again.

"He didn't ask for this to happen," Mullins said and added that her son was very upset about not being able to play football.

On January 2, Gage's father said that Gage was being sent home from the hospital.

"We greatly appreciate all the prayers and concerns for our son Gage and the family."

Marty said Gage gets to go home on Jan 3, but will have to be homeschooled for 30 days. They will have to make more trips to the hospital over the next several months to keep an eye on his injury.