A 6-year-old boy is fighting for his life after he was shot in the head inside a Nashville home Saturday afternoon, according to police. The child was rushed by ambulance to Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt in what officers described as "extremely critical" condition. The shooting happened while the boy was in his father's care at a home on the 3100 block of Qualynn Drive, where officers later found a handgun on the living room floor.
Metro Nashville Police said the father told detectives he had been playing with his son, then fell asleep with a pistol in his pocket, information contained in an MNPD press release and reported by WSMV. Detectives are still sorting out exactly how the gun went off and have not said whether any criminal charges are likely or when a decision might come.
Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt serves as the region's primary pediatric trauma center and regularly handles severe injuries in children. The hospital details its locations and services on its website and functions as a referral hub for serious pediatric cases across Middle Tennessee.
Investigators and next steps
Officers said they found the handgun on the living room floor and that the father reported waking up to the sound of a single gunshot, as noted by WSMV. Metro Nashville Police say detectives are continuing to investigate, with no public timeline for when they might refer the case for potential charges. The department's formal release provided the initial account that local outlets circulated on Sunday.
How these accidents happen
Research shows that many unintentional shootings involving children start with unsecured firearms left within easy reach in the home. Child-access prevention laws and safe-storage practices are intended to cut those risks, according to the Giffords Law Center. A recent CDC analysis of pediatric firearm injuries notes that secure storage, including locking firearms, keeping them unloaded, and storing ammunition separately, is associated with lower rates of unintentional injury among children.
Advice from health experts
Pediatricians and safety advocates urge families who keep guns at home to lock them up and keep them unloaded, with ammunition stored in a separate, locked location. Clinicians are encouraged to talk with families about firearm storage during routine visits, according to guidance summarized by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Local injury-prevention groups often point out that relatively small, low-cost safety steps can be the difference between a close call and a tragedy.
What to do if you have information
Police say the investigation remains open and no charges have been announced. MNPD lists its press office and public contact information on the department's news page, and the main number for media and general inquiries is 615-862-8600, according to Metro Nashville Police.
