Baywood man charged after accidentally shooting girlfriend with assault rifle, Suffolk police say

A 26-year-old man was arrested on assault and weapons charges after police said he accidentally shot his girlfriend in the leg while showing her an assault rifle at his home in Baywood late Wednesday.

The victim, identified only as a 20-year-old female, was transported to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore for treatment of a non-life-threatening leg injury, Suffolk County police said.

Police said her boyfriend, Ryan Becker, of 63 West Oakdale St., Baywood, was arrested early Thursday and charged with second-degree assault and two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He faces arraignment Thursday in First District Court in Central Islip.

Police said Becker was showing his girlfriend the rifle "when it fired," striking her.

The incident occurred in his home at 11:32 p.m., police said.

It was not immediately clear what type of rifle was involved. The condition of the victim also was not known Thursday.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”