Cypress-area gun range employee indicted for allegedly shooting customer in head

FILE - A screenshot of a Google Maps image of the 24800 block of the Northwest Freeway in Cypress, Texas. On Dec. 12, 2017, Harris County Sheriff's deputies reported a man suffered a gunshot wound at an area gun range. less FILE - A screenshot of a Google Maps image of the 24800 block of the Northwest Freeway in Cypress, Texas. On Dec. 12, 2017, Harris County Sheriff's deputies reported a man suffered a gunshot wound at an area ... more Photo: File/Google Photo: File/Google Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Cypress-area gun range employee indicted for allegedly shooting customer in head 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

An employee at a Cypress-area shooting range has been indicted on a manslaughter charge in the shooting death of a customer in December, the Harris County District Attorney's Office said Friday.

A Harris County grand jury indicted Tyler Sutton, 21, in the Dec. 12 shooting at Hot Wells Shooting Range.

Sutton apparently was servicing a customer's rifle and it discharged in the direction of the parking lot, fatally striking Joshua Cummings. Sutton did not check to see if the weapon was loaded, according to court records.

"I have been around firearms my entire life, and this sad case is a perfect example that no matter how much experience one has with firearms you must treat every firearm as if it were loaded," Harris County Assistant District Attorney Jim Leitner said in a news release announcing the indictment.

The new general manager of the shooting range said they would have no comment and said the company has changed their name. Another employee said none of the employees who were working the day of the fatal accident are now employed by the company.

Sutton now faces two to 20 years in prison if convicted.