A 4-year-old child was injured Saturday in what Tyrone police are calling an accidental, self-inflicted shooting inside a home in the Southampton subdivision, a typically quiet pocket of the town. The case is under active investigation, and police have not released any information about the child’s condition.
According to WSB-TV, officers said the shooting happened at a residence in the Southampton neighborhood and investigators believe the wound was self-inflicted. The outlet reports that the department declined to share further details, including whether anyone might face charges.
Police Response And How To Provide Tips
Tyrone police say they are still piecing together how the shooting unfolded and are keeping most specifics under wraps while the investigation is underway. The Town of Tyrone lists the Police Department at 950 Senoia Road and provides a non-emergency phone line for tips and other calls on the town’s police page, per the Town of Tyrone.
Part Of A Worrying Local Pattern
The Tyrone case is landing amid a troubling run of accidental shootings involving very young children around metro Atlanta. On February 20 in Gwinnett County, a 4-year-old boy shot himself after getting hold of a gun left in a car’s glovebox, according to CBS News Atlanta. One day earlier, on February 19, a 2-year-old in Sandy Springs was killed in a separate shooting that led to an arrest, as reported by CBS News Atlanta.
Why Safe Storage Matters
National data show that many unintentional firearm injuries involving children happen at home when kids gain access to guns that are not properly secured. The CDC’s MMWR analysis notes that secured firearm storage, including locking firearms, keeping them unloaded, and storing ammunition separately, "have been identified as protective factors" against child firearm injuries and deaths, according to the CDC.
Tyrone police say they plan to release more details as the investigation moves forward and are urging anyone with information about the shooting to contact law enforcement. The town’s police page lists contact information for tips and non-emergency calls.
