A tragic event unfolded on Detroit's east side where a 3-year-old boy was critically injured after accidentally shooting himself in the face with his mother's gun, authorities say. The incident, which took place around 4:20 p.m. yesterday, has placed the toddler in serious condition, though initial reports suggest the injury is a graze wound.
Detroit Police Chief James White relayed to the media that the child's mother had returned home from work and placed the gun on a dresser, the child found the weapon within moments and unintentionally discharged it. “We're here way too many times talking about this," White said in a Detroit Free Press report, emphasizing the necessity of responsibility when owning a firearm.
Investigations are focused on whether the mother had a license for the gun, and despite a lock box being present in the home, it was not utilized when the shooting occurred. The event has raised concerns about firearm safety and the impacts of such traumatic incidents on children. "It's the trauma, it’s the thing that a 3-year-old has to live with the rest of his life," neighborhood resident Lorenzo Hardy told CBS News Detroit.
At the time of the incident, there were eight individuals in the house including five children and three adults. Chief White described the scene, “The mother arrived home from work, walked into the home (which had) eight other people in it, five children and three adults," White said. "She walks in from work, she places her gun on the dresser. Minutes after she does so, the 3-year-old gets possession of the weapon and apparently shoots himself in the face." According to FOX 2 Detroit, White highlighted this as another case where the lack of securing a firearm led to a child’s injury, underscoring the preventable nature of the accident.
White mentioned that charges are pending though the specifics have not been detailed, as the investigation continues.
