A tragic incident occurred in Philadelphia's Juniata Park neighborhood on Sunday afternoon when a 7-year-old girl was fatally shot in the face. The shooting took place near the 3800 block of I-Street at around 2:25 p.m. The young girl was found in her home with a gunshot wound and was rushed to Saint Christopher’s Hospital for Children where she was pronounced dead shortly after at 2:39 p.m. Police investigating the scene have since recovered a firearm and have taken two adults into custody, NBC Philadelphia.
While details at the time remain sparse, authorities have said that, there were two adults and three children, including a 2-year-old in the home when the incident occurred. Inspector D.F. Pace of the Philadelphia Police stated, "It appears she either picked up a gun which was laying around and shot herself in the face or it is also possible that a two-year-old may have picked up the gun and shot the seven-year-old in the face." Both the owner of the firearm and the owner of the house are in custody, as mentioned in the statement obtained by FOX 29.
The relationship between the victim and the adults in custody has not been confirmed, raising further questions about the circumstances leading to this heart-wrenching fatality. The Philadelphia Police Inspector shared regarding the ongoing investigation, "There’s still a lot more information that we need to gather, to determine what criminal charges may be filed against either of those individuals." Discussions with the district attorney’s office will ascertain the appropriate legal recourse. These updates follow insights from FOX 29, who have described the tragic event as an "accidental shooting."
Mayor Cherelle Parker voiced her concern via a series of tweets, urging gun owners to safeguard their weapons responsibly. In light of the tragedy, Pace also emphasized the importance of gun safety, adding, "Responsible gun ownership dictates that firearms should be secure and out of the reach of any small children," as per FOX 29. The investigation is ongoing, and police are urging anyone with information to come forward.
