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(KMOV) - A north St. Louis County postal carrier is recovering after he was shot in the face.

KMOV

Police say a 14-year-old pulled the trigger.

It happened along this block of Blanding in Ferguson, when the mailman was hit by something.

"He was in a truck delivering mail to a post boxes on the roadway, and while he was doing so felt a stinging sensation in his cheek looked up, didn't know what it was, saw some blood dripping down," Captain Dennis McBride of Ferguson Police says.

Ferguson Police say they took a 14-year-old into custody, who they say ran back into his house after the shooting.

Inspector of U.S. Postal Service Dan Taylor says, "We are still trying to determine what weapon was used, but we believe it either a B.B or some other type of small caliber weapon."

A bullet or pellet is now lodged in the carrier's nasal canal, he's resting while police and postal inspectors are investigating the crime and try to find out why someone was shooting at the mail truck.

"We really don't know the motive behind what happened, but the carrier was simply delivering his mail when he was shot at," Taylor says.

The 52-year-old postal carrier told News 4 that he's had the same postal route for 17 years and never had any problems.

Next week News 4 will talk to doctors about removing the projectile from his face.

Doctors tell the mail carrier they believe he was hit with a small caliber bullet, and they're not sure if they'll be able to remove it from his cheek.