3-Year-Old Fires Gun, Accidentally Shoots, Kills Infant In Lancaster City

A 3-year-old child reportedly fired a gun inside a home and accidentally killed an infant in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Oct. 18.

Officers from the Lancaster City Bureau of Police responded to the 500 block of Woodward Street in Lancaster on Tuesday, Oct. 18, after they received reports of a baby shot in the face by a child. When the officers arrived at the scene, they found an infant lying on the floor of the residence with a gunshot wound to the face, WPMT FOX43 reported.

Officers then rendered CPR to the child until Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrived at the scene. Medical personnel later responded to the scene and pronounced the infant dead at the scene.

The Lancaster officers confirmed in a news release on Wednesday, Oct. 19 afternoon that the weapon that resulted in the infant's death was fired by a 3-year-old child inside the home. However, officers have not identified the infant or specified its age.

Officers added that they have identified witnesses and involved people in connection with the shooting. However, they have not placed anyone in custody related to the shooting, Lancaster Online reported.

"As of this time, the Bureau of Police does not have any persons in custody related to this investigation," police said in a release.

Meanwhile, neighbors in the area said that they didn't hear any gunfire on the day of the shooting. However, one neighbor said that she heard screaming and crying coming from the house. Another neighbor said that he saw a man on the scene screaming and crying, saying "they killed my baby."

An autopsy will be conducted on the child on Friday, Oct. 21 morning.

Officers are continuing to investigate the incident and are asking anyone with information to call the Lancaster City Bureau of Police at 717-735-3301.

In a similar but unrelated incident, a 2-year-old toddler has been reported dead after accidentally shooting himself in the face with his father's gun in a tragic incident in East Nashville, Tennessee, as previously reported.

On Monday, Nov. 1, 2021, at around 9:30 p.m., the young boy reportedly found his father Jeffrey Thorpe's gun on a bed inside their home and picked it up to play with it. Thorpe, who was visiting his wife and child, had carelessly placed his firearm on the bed and left it unattended. The toddler then accidentally fired the gun and shot himself in the head.

Thorpe immediately drove the boy and his mother Aaliyah Scales, 23, to TriStar Skyline Medical Center for treatment. However, after dropping them off at the hospital, he took off and fled the scene. The toddler was admitted to the hospital in critical condition but later succumbed to his fatal injuries.