Police: Man shot woman in face with pellet gun

A 19-year-old Flanders man was arrested Wednesday after he intentionally shot a woman in the face with a pellet gun in the parking lot of a Riverhead store, police said.

Christopher B. Collins, of 254 Ludlam Ave., was charged with second-degree assault, Riverhead Town police said.

Arraignment details were not immediately available.

Police said the shooting occurred outside a Target store on Old Country Road just before 5:30 p.m. The woman, whose identity was not released, was taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center, where, police said, a pellet was found "embedded under her skin." She was treated and later released, police said.

Police said officers had responded to the scene after a 911 call reported a 19-year-old woman had suffered "a puncture wound to the side of her face." The officers determined it was caused by a pellet.

Upon further investigation, police said they found two men in a wooded area east of the store parking lot and found that one of them, Collins, was in possession of a Crosman pellet rifle.

"Further investigation revealed that Mr. Collins had intentionally fired the gun at the woman," police said.

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