An 11-year-old girl is recovering after being shot during a violent family dispute Sunday evening in Midlothian, according to police.
Officers were called around 7:13 p.m. to the 400 block of Brook Meadow Drive after multiple reports of gunfire inside and outside a home. The situation quickly unfolded into a chaotic and dangerous scene involving several family members.
Authorities say 37-year-old Mark Robert Nienhuis arrived at the residence and became involved in an argument with relatives. After the confrontation, he reportedly went to his truck, retrieved a handgun, and fired several shots toward the home. One of the bullets struck his 11-year-old daughter.
The child was taken to a nearby children’s hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. She has since been released and is expected to recover.
Police say Nienhuis fled the scene but returned shortly afterward, where another family member—his son—confronted him with a rifle. The two exchanged gunfire in the front yard. No injuries were reported in this second shooting, though nearby homes and vehicles were damaged.
When officers arrived minutes later, they encountered Nienhuis armed with a knife. Despite repeated commands to drop the weapon, he refused and stabbed himself in the neck. Officers intervened and secured the scene.
Nienhuis remains hospitalized in serious condition and faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Investigators believe the second shooter acted in self-defense. The case remains under active investigation.
