BB GUN KILLS PERRYVILLE BOY

PERRYVILLE -- A 7-year-old Perryville boy is dead after being struck in the heart Wednesday by a BB gun pellet.

Thomas Clifton died on arrival at Perry County Hospital at 1:04 p.m. He was accidentally struck by the pellet about an hour earlier, said Perry County Coroner Patrick Neager.

Thomas was watching his 13-year-old brother shoot soda cans with the BB gun in the family's yard when one of the BBs ricocheted off the can and struck Thomas in the upper chest.

The pellet went through the boy's rib cage and pierced his heart, Neager said.

"It's quite a freak accident," the coroner said.

The boy is the son of Roger and Sandra Clifton, who live in rural Perryville, off County Road 302.

After the boy was struck, his brother called 911, Neager said. Life support measures failed in the ambulance en route to the hospital, he said.

Thomas was standing six to eight feet from the targets when the accident happened, he said.