A young child in Virginia Beach, Virginia found a loaded unsecured firearm today, picked it up and accidentally shot himself.  The child’s age was not released.  His injuries were not considered life-threatening.

In Virginia, it is illegal for a person “to recklessly leave a loaded, unsecured firearm in such a manner as to endanger the life or limb of any child under the age of 14.”  However, there is no comprehensive gun lock or other safe storage law that might have prevented the accident.

Sources:

Katherine Hafner, “Child Accidentally Shoots Himself in Virginia Beach after Finding Loaded Gun, Police Say,” The Virginian-Pilot (August 29, 2020).

“Safe Storage in Virginia,” Giffords Law Center (April 29, 2020).