ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Albuquerque police charged a 41-year-old woman under Bennie’s Law after her 14-year-old son accidentally shot his 14-year-old friend.

Police charged Leigh Cleveland with negligently making a firearm accessible to a minor. APD said she turned herself in on Friday.

The shooting happened Aug. 22 at a home near Manzano Street NE, according to APD. Several boys were in a bathroom when one boy handled a handgun, pointed it and pulled the trigger while the magazine and ammunition were not in the gun.

Police said the boy then inserted the magazine and manipulated the slide, and the gun fired, hitting the other boy in the shoulder.

The injured boy went to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police took the shooter to the Juvenile Detention Center.

Detectives later interviewed Cleveland, who said the gun belonged to her and that she kept it in her office at the home. Police said she told detectives the children knew where firearms were kept and that she relied on them not to touch the guns.

Detectives recovered three handguns from the room identified as Cleveland’s office area. Police said one Glock handgun was on top of a dresser, while two other handguns were inside a dresser drawer.

Police said two of the guns had loaded magazines. Investigators also recovered magazines, ammunition and a cellphone from the home.

The investigation found the firearms were not locked or otherwise secured in a way that kept the children from getting to them.

Leigh Cleveland