MEXICO – A 9-year-old boy who was shot in the chest was expected to live after being flown from this western Maine town to a Portland hospital Tuesday, state police said.

Tyler Richard of Rumford had been staying at his grandfather’s home along Swift River Road in Mexico when the shooting occurred, spokesman Stephen McCausland of the state Public Safety Department said. After he was shot, the boy went into the road, where he was picked up by a passing motorist.

The motorist, Thomas Harrison of Mexico, drove Tyler to Rumford Hospital, where he was stabilized. Harrison “gave what little information he had and was told to leave,” said McCausland.

Harrison then returned to where he had picked up the wounded boy and spoke to police who had been called to the scene, the spokesman said. Tyler had been shot once and initial indications were that his prognosis for survival is good, McCausland said.

A team of state police detectives was in Mexico to determine the circumstances leading up to the shooting. McCausland said it appeared the boy was alone at the time of the shooting. McCausland did not know what kind of gun was used.

Tyler’s grandfather was identified as Charles Martin.