A Monday night on East 9th Street in Hopkinsville turned into a life-or-death emergency when a child was shot inside a home and critically wounded, authorities say. Fire and EMS crews, along with Hopkinsville police, were called to the 1000 block of East 9th Street around 8:30 p.m., where they found a child with a gunshot wound to the head. The child was rushed to Jennie Stuart Medical Center in Hopkinsville, then airlifted to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville for further care.
According to WSMV, Hopkinsville Fire/EMS reported that the child was transported in critical condition to Jennie Stuart Medical Center, where a medical helicopter was waiting to transfer the patient to Vanderbilt. Detectives with the Hopkinsville Police Department are investigating the shooting and told the station the incident may have been accidental. Authorities have not announced any arrests or released suspect information.
Hospital transfer and airlift
Jennie Stuart Medical Center is the regional hospital serving Hopkinsville and lists its main campus at 320 W. 18th Street. After initial treatment there, the child was flown to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, the pediatric referral center in Nashville that received the patient by air transport.
Investigation underway
Hopkinsville detectives say they are working to piece together exactly how the shooting occurred and have not released additional details, according to WSMV. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that many unintentional firearm injuries to children happen inside homes and are tied to unsecured, loaded guns. In its findings, CDC research notes that common circumstances include children playing with or showing a firearm and mistaking a real gun for a toy.
Public health experts often point to secure storage as a straightforward way to reduce these kinds of tragedies. They recommend that firearms be locked, kept unloaded, and stored separately from ammunition. Guidance and resources on safe firearm storage and protecting children in homes with guns are available from the Children's Safety Network and other health organizations.
