Toddler Survives After Accidentally Shooting Self With Mother’s Firearm

Parents who own guns have repeatedly been cautioned to store their weapons in a safe place, somewhere where young kids cannot get hold of them. For some reason, a five-year-old found his mom’s loaded firearm that accidentally went off.

The child accidentally shot himself in the chest last Saturday night in the Weinland Park area in Columbus, 10TV reported. The gun went off as the boy was playing with it.

Local police arrived at an apartment located at 1400 block of North 4th Street with the shooting reportedly taking place at around 10:45 p.m.

Per reports, the mother and a friend were able to immediately rush the boy to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital for medical attention. He was shot in the upper right chest.

Thankfully, the swift action taken by the elders allowed medical personnel helped the child to stabilize. He is expected to make full recovery from the gunshot wound.

The case is still under investigation if it appears to be an accidental shooting. It was not immediately mentioned how the boy was able to get hold of the gun. No charges have been made as of this writing.

People who may have added information on the shooting are encouraged to call the Columbus Police Felony Assault Unit at 614-645-4141. Alternatively, the Central Ohio Crime Stoppers can be reached at 614-461-TIPS (8477).

This accidental shooting is somehow similar to the case of a two-year-old girl who was also thought of accidentally shooting herself in November 2020 at Line Street in Senatobia. It was also ruled as an accidental discharge by authorities.

The father was charged with one count of contributing to the neglect of a child. The girl survived the shooting.

Another similar case happened in Chicago. The only difference is that the nine-year-old boy identified as Ashton Lipscomb died after accidentally shooting himself in the head at the family’s home over in North Austin, the Chicago Tribune reported.