A shooting in Detroit left a 4-year-old boy dead after his cousin of the same age found a rifle and pulled the trigger.
The shooting occurred on Thursday at a home on the city’s west side. Three children were at home at the time of the incident, according to Detroit Deputy Chief Rodney Johnson. The third child was 5-years-old. An adult was also present, but was a family friend and not related to the children.
Detroit Police Public Information Officer Adam Madera said the children found a “long gun” under a bed, pulled it out and began to play with it.
“At this time, although it’s early in the investigation, this appears to be a tragic accident,” Madera said.
“It’s too early to say if charges will be filed in this case,” Johnson said.
This latest shooting is just one of many involving children in the past few months, who have shot someone or died while playing with a gun.
According to CNN:
- In October, a babysitter in Vidor, Texas, was charged after her 5-year-old charge fatally shot himself with her gun, police said.
- Two weeks earlier, a 2-year-old girl fatally shot herself in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and the toddler’s father faced involuntary manslaughter charges, police said.
- In New Orleans, a 5-year-old girl died June 23 after she came into contact with a .38-caliber revolver and accidentally shot herself in the head while her mother was at a store, police said.
- Last August, a 3-year-old boy in Dundee, Michigan, found a .40-caliber handgun belonging to a family friend on a closet floor in his home. He died after accidentally shooting himself in the head, police said.
Our prayers to the families who have lost children due to firearms.
SOURCE: CNN | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
