Credulous authorities say a dead armadillo is responsible for a bizarre accidental shooting in Georgia after a bullet allegedly ricocheted off the animal and into the shooter's mother-in-law.

According to insufficiently suspicious police, Larry McElroy was aiming for the critter when he fired the round that followed a 100-yard-long, Warren Commission-approved path into 74-year-old Carol Johnson's back. From WALB-TV:

Lee County Sheriff's deputies said 54-year-old Larry McElroy was outside when he fired his 9 mm pistol at the armadillo. The bullet killed the animal, but also ricocheted off of it, hit a fence, went through the back door of his mother-in-law's mobile home, through a recliner she was sitting in, and into her back.

Johnson was not severely injured, the station reports.

"Just the circumstances, just all the way around, the whole situation was unusual," said Investigator Bill Smith, who would apparently rather share firearm suggestions than investigate anything.

"I really think if they're going to shoot at varmints and whatnot, maybe use a shotgun... with a spread pattern with a lot less range," Smith said.

[Image via Shutterstock]