Four young children accidentally shot themselves today with found guns in separate incidents. Two are dead. Two are hospitalized.
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania a four-year old found a Glock pistol in a closet and shot himself in the head in his bedroom. His three-year old brother was in the room at the time. Police say the boy’s father may face charges.
In Mobile, Alabama, two-year old Corey Davis, Jr. died after shooting himself with a found gun in the hotel room where he was staying with his mother and her boyfriend. Guests at the hotel reported that Corey’s mother came out of the room, covered in blood, carrying her son and calling for someone to call the police. She was later arrested, charged with manslaughter and released on bond.
The other two incidents occurred in Utah. In Brigham City, Utah, a nine-year old boy was hospitalized after shooting himself in the head. Police confirmed that the shooting was accidental and self-inflicted. In Murray, Utah, a three-year old boy is in stable condition after also shooting himself in the head. He climbed on to a counter in the kitchen to remove the gun from a shelf where it was stored.
After the Murray incident, the manager of a local gun shop, Dave Larsen, said modern firearms will not discharge accidentally on their own, leading to an extra responsibility on gun owners to handle their guns with safety and to keep them in a secure place. “The best safety is up here,” he said while pointing to his head.
“Rule number one is always keep your gun facing the right direction,” Larsen added. “Rule number two, keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot.”
Sources:
“Cops: PA Father Made Up Home Invasion Story After 4-year-old Fatally Shot Himself,” 6WJAC (January 30, 2020).
Justin Moore, Keith Lane, “Mobile Police: 2-year-old Shot at Mobile Motel Has Died; Mother Bonds Out of Jail,” NBC 15 (January 30, 2020).
Hector Ponce, “9-year-old Suffers Accidental Gunshot Wound to Head in Brigham City,” Fox 13 Salt Lake City (January 30, 2020).
Erin Cox, David Wells, “3-year-old Suffers Gunshot Wound in Murray,” Fox 13 Salt Lake City (January 30, 2020).