In separate incidents, two young children found unsecured handguns today and accidentally shot and injured a sibling. 

In Beulaville, North Carolina, a 6-year old girl found a handgun in her home and shot her 12-year old sister in the back.  The 12-year old is at the hospital in critical condition.  An 18-year old was charged with having hidden the gun under the girls’ home.

In Redford Township, Michigan, a four-year old boy found a gun at home and shot his five-year old sister in the head.  She suffered a “brain bleed” and needed stiches, and is hospitalized in stable condition.  “I’m hurting down inside because of what happened to my baby,” the girl’s mother said.  She told authorities that she thought the gun was out of her son’s reach, but that somehow he found it and thought it was a toy gun.

Sources:

“Duplin County Deputies Investigating Accidental Shooting of 12-year-old Girl,” WXII12 (July 7, 2020).

Jenn Schanz, “5-year-old Child Accidentally Shot in Head by 4-year-old Sibling at Redford Twp. Home,” 7WXYZ (July 6, 2020).