A four-year-old boy in Durham has been hospitalized with serious injuries after an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound this morning, CBS 17 reports. The Durham Police Department responded to the incident which occurred shortly before 7:30 a.m. in the 1600 block of Greenbriar Road, as per CBS17.
The child was found injured by officers upon their arrival, and a preliminary investigation revealed that he had found an unsecured firearm with which he inadvertently shot himself, police said the gun was not safely stored which directly led to this preventable tragedy, according to further details provided by ABC11.
While specifics of the boy's condition have not been released, the incident has raised concerns over firearm security in the area, this is not the first such occurrence in Durham this month; another child incident involving an unsecured firearm resulted in legal repercussions for a resident.
In a similar case on November 2, a child's access to an unsecured gun led to charges against 52-year-old Patrick Daye for permitting a young child to use a firearm, a situation that unfolded within the Hayti District near Spaulding Street and Linwood Avenue, WRAL reported.
Authorities are urging those with any additional information related to the Greenbriar Road shooting to contact Investigator D. Bussell at (919) 560-4582 or to reach out to CrimeStoppers at (919) 683-1200.
