2-Year-Old Boy Shoots, Kills Himself After Finding Loaded Gun In Dad's Pickup Truck

A two-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed himself after he found a loaded gun in his dad’s pickup truck in North Carolina.

The toddler, identified as Warren Bennett Oser, who was called Bennett by his family members, curiously climbed into his dad’s truck through an open door and found the loaded Smith & Wesson 40-caliber handgun in the front seat of the vehicle. He then picked up the gun and while playing with it, he accidentally shot himself in the head, New York Post reported.

Even though Oser's parents were at home with him at the time of the incident, they were not able to prevent the tragedy from happening. He was immediately rushed to Johnson Medical Center Clayton for treatment of his gunshot wounds. However, while he was undergoing treatment, Oser died from his injuries.

“My heart goes out to the parents as they grieve the loss of their son. These tragedies are 100 percent preventable by safely storing all weapons away from minor children as required by statute,” said County District Attorney Susan Doyle.

“This is not about the rightful ownership of guns. This is about the responsibility of gun owners to protect minors by ensuring all weapons are kept safely away from children,” Doyle added.

No one else reportedly suffered any injuries in the accident.

Following the incident, the boy’s father, Warren Tyler Oser, will now be charged with failure to properly and safely store his firearms to protect minors, People reported.

Officers from the Johnston County Sheriff's Office stated that the boy's death was considered an "unfortunate accident."

The boy's accidental death has left his family in shock.

"We're having to raise money for a funeral we never expected, for a two-year-old," a family member said.

Following the tragedy, community members have raised more than $20,000 on a GoFundMe page to cover the boy's funeral expenses.

In an online obituary, the toddler’s family remembered him as a “free spirit with a wild soul who always kept us on our toes.”

“Bennett was a happy child who loved everyone in his life deeply. Every single day, he would go down his list of favorite people to try and visit,” it read. “Though his life was brief, his spirit and memory lives on in his family and friends.”