William R. Toler | Daily Journal An accidental gunshot victim in Cordova is transferred to a helicopter to be flown to Chapel Hill on Tuesday afternoon. -

CORDOVA — A young woman was airlifted to a Chapel Hill hospital following an accidental shooting early Tuesday afternoon.

Investigators with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office say a group of five people were target practicing at a range down Old Time Way — a private road off Old Cheraw Highway — when the 23-year-old was shot.

The group was target practicing with an AK-47, investigators say. The victim had taken her turn firing and was handing the rifle to another person when the it accidentally discharged and a bullet struck her in the knee.

Deputies rushed to the scene, along with an ambulance from FirstHealth EMS and crews from Cordova Fire and Rescue. Firemen placed orange cones in a nearby hay field to set up a landing zone for the helicopter.

Around 2:30, the ambulance drove closer to the landing zone. The woman — whose name has not been released — could be heard screaming in pain from several hundred yards away.

The helicopter landed less than 10 minutes later. The victim was then transferred from the ambulance and flown to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill as a precaution.

Investigators say no charges will be filed.

According to statistics with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, based in Atlanta, Georgia, there were 215,422 unintentional, non-fatal firearms injuries reported from 2001 to 2013. Nearly 8 percent of those — 16,422 — were in 2013.

Statistics show that unintentional, non-fatal gunshot wounds are not even in the top 20 leading causes for non-fatal injury among any age group. However, unintentional injuries from a BB or pellet gun shot are the 20th-leading cause of injury for ages 10-14.

In 2014, records show there were 586 unintentional firearm-related deaths in the United States.

Reach reporter William R. Toler at 910-817-2675 and follow him on Twitter @William_r_toler.

William R. Toler | Daily Journal An accidental gunshot victim in Cordova is transferred to a helicopter to be flown to Chapel Hill on Tuesday afternoon. https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_accidentalshooting_chopper-1.jpg William R. Toler | Daily Journal An accidental gunshot victim in Cordova is transferred to a helicopter to be flown to Chapel Hill on Tuesday afternoon.

Deputies: AK-47 went off accidentally