Winton double shooting was an accident, suspect tells daughter
WINTON, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Merced County man who is accused of shooting two women told his daughter it was an accident.
James Robert Miller, 72, was arrested and booked into jail after his niece and her daughter were shot and seriously wounded. It happened late Sunday morning in Miller's home on Cobble Drive near Peridot Avenue in Winton.
Miller is confined to a wheelchair, and his niece who is 56 year old was his caretaker. She and her 20-year-old daughter were living with him.
Neighbors told Action News loud arguing was coming from the house, before gunshots were heard. Neighbors also said the women left the house bleeding before being rushed to a Modesto hospital.
Deputies arrested Miller. His daughter told Action News her father called her from jail and said he did not intend to hurt anyone.
"'I said, 'You shot Tammy?' He said, 'Yes, I didn't mean to. I meant to shoot up in the air.' And he says, 'I don't know what happened,'" said Mary Bhogal.
The daughter says her father has had several strokes and has memory issues.
Witnesses say one of the victims was shot in the ear, and the other in the shoulder. Sheriff's deputies said their injuries appeared to be serious.
