A six-year-old child in Detroit, Michigan, unintentionally shot his baby brother multiple times in their home while the children were alone.
During a press conference on June 7, Assistant Police Chief Charles Fitzgerald expressed his disappointment at the recurring incidence of preventable firearm-related accidents involving children. The appalling event occurred at a residence on Tennessee Street, where a one-year-old boy was shot by his older sibling who managed to access a semiautomatic firearm.
The toddler sustained two gunshot injuries – one in his cheek and another in his shoulder. However, the child was fortunate enough to survive his serious injuries.
The father of the children was in the backyard of the house at the time of the incident, while the mother was elsewhere down the street.
As part of the ongoing investigation, authorities have secured a search warrant for the family home. Preliminary information reveals that the firearm involved in the shooting was legally registered. The six-year-old child responsible for the unfortunate incident is cooperating with the investigation, with no charges filed as of yet.
The New England Journal of Medicine‘s data indicates a sobering reality – firearm-related injuries are the leading cause of death among children in the United States.
