The 40-year-old Salt Lake man, who was arrested on suspicion of reckless endangering after his 3-year-old son was struck by shrapnel early this morning, was released from police custody without charges at about 2 p.m.

The man was cleaning his rifle in his living room when the rifle accidentally discharged, police said. The round hit the ceiling and caused a piece of metal shrapnel to hit the boy, police said.

Police arrested Marwin Juan after his rifle accidentally discharged at 12:09 a.m., injuring his son at their Salt Lake apartment.

Juan told the Star-Advetiser he is a very safe gun user, and doesn’t know how a round was left in the barrel of his rifle when it went off while he was cleaning it.

The boy, who was taken in serious condition to the hospital, is in stable condition now, he said.

Juan was arrested 1:45 a.m. on first-degree reckless endangering, but police released him pending further investigation.