Superior man faces abuse charge

A Superior man accused of shooting a 12-year-old child with a BB gun because the boy refused to do dishes made an initial appearance in Douglas County Circuit Court.

John Jeffrey Doolittle, 32, faces felony charges of physical abuse of a child-intentionally cause bodily harm and strangulation and suffocation. He was released on a $3,000 signature bond.

According to the criminal complaint:

Doolittle intervened when the 12-year-old got into an argument with his grandmother about doing the dishes. He allegedly shot the boy three times with an air soft pistol and put him in a choke hold until the boy passed out. The boy sustained bruising and scrapes on the front and sides of his neck, welts on the left temple, left hand and right hand from the BB gun and bruises on the left arm from being grabbed. A doctor’s exam showed bruising on the boy’s neck consistent with strangulation and multiple bruises.

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