An incident occurred on Monday evening, June 19, in McKee, Eastern Kentucky, when a seven-year-old child accidentally shot a five-year-old child inside a home, according to Kentucky State Police.
The police said that despite the attempts at life-saving measures, the five-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene by the Jackson County coroner.
Kentucky State Police launched an initial investigation into the incident and revealed in a statement that the shooting appears to have been accidental. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not yet released the identities of those involved.
This incident adds to an alarming trend of unintentional shootings by children in the United States. According to Everytown for Gun Safety, an advocacy group, there have been over 150 unintentional shootings by children in the U.S. this year alone. Amongst these, four have occurred in Kentucky, including the recent shooting in McKee.
The incidents have resulted in at least 58 fatalities and 101 injuries.
Earlier in June, in Illinois a four-year-old girl was accidentally shot and killed by another child.
A 6-year-old boy obtained a gun and shot his infant sibling in Detroit. The baby survived.
Also in June, a three-year-old boy fatally shot himself in Tennessee. The shooting was declared an accident.
In the wake of the Kentucky tragedy, attention is also being drawn to the state’s gun laws. The state does not have legislation that penalizes people for failing to secure firearms that are left unattended. However, Giffords Law Center points out that it is prohibited in Kentucky to “intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly” provide a handgun to a minor unless the minor is legally permitted to possess a handgun.
The McKee incident underscores the importance of responsible gun ownership and the need for policies that ensure the safety and well-being of children and communities. Authorities and communities are urged to take the necessary steps to prevent further tragedies of this nature.
