An 8-year-old child was shot in the leg Monday afternoon in Philadelphia's Frankford neighborhood, prompting a swift investigation by local authorities. According to NBC10, the shooting occurred along the 1800 block of Gillingham Street around 12:50 p.m. Police transported the child to a nearby hospital where they are currently reported to be in stable condition. Police also informed NBC10 of weapon that has been recovered in connection with the shooting.
Furthering reports from the scene, CBS News Philadelphia stated no arrests have been made following the incident, despite the recovery of a gun. The child was brought to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in North Philadelphia, said authorities.
Seeking to shed light on how the child was wounded, 6abc provides a possible explanation, reporting that preliminary information suggests the boy may have found the gun outdoors. It appears the boy brought it inside the home where it somehow discharged. "It's crazy, this never happened before," told Michell Rom, a resident, to 6abc. Police continue to investigate the exact circumstances that led to the event.
The investigation into the shooting led to the section of the road being corded off as detectives worked the scene. While the physical evidence of a gun has been recovered from the home, the quest for clarity continues as to how the youth came into contact with the firearm and the specific sequence of events that caused it to fire, reads an account from 6abc.
