A 23-year-old man has been accused in connection with a 2023 accidental shooting at a Cranberry Township rental that left critically injured a young girl.
According to court documents, on March 28, 2025, Franklin-based State Police filed the following allegations against 23-year-old Nicholas Mason Helms of Richmond, Indiana:
- Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 1
- Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Misdemeanor 2
According to a criminal complaint filed by Trooper Andrew Harriger of the Franklin State Police, authorities were summoned to a residence on US Route 62 in Cranberry Township, Venango County, about 9:39 p.m. on March 31, 2023, for complaints of a gunshot wound to a child’s head.
Police said a group of people from Indiana rented the home while visiting friends in Venango County. According to the lawsuit, Damien John Gross, 23, of Richmond, Indiana, instructed Nicholas Helms to take goods from the dining room table to a first-floor bedroom, including a Mossberg 9mm handgun.
According to the complaint, while moving the objects, a cartridge was fired from the handgun, striking the young victim who was standing at the opposite end of the dining room table. The victim was sent to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh with life-threatening injuries.
Police claim they found the pistol, six undischarged bullets, an empty shell, an empty magazine, a brown leather holster, and a bullet fragment at the site.
The complaint states that Trooper Harriger interrogated Damien Gross at the scene. He claimed ownership of the 9mm weapon when Trooper Harriger asked who owned it. When questioned if he had a concealed carry permit, he responded, “No.” He claimed to have loaded and stored the rifle in the vehicle’s cargo compartment before transferring it to Pennsylvania.
According to court filings, Gross was charged with Firearms Not to be Carried Without a License, a first-degree misdemeanor, in connection with the case.
Preliminary hearings for both men are set for 10:30 a.m. on April 30 at Venango County Central Court.
