Four-year-old Shoots Grandmother with Gun Found in Purse

A 55-year-old woman in Mobile, Alabama, was unintentionally shot in the leg by her 4-year-old granddaughter with a gun that the child found in her grandmother’s purse. Police were called to the store where the incident occurred, and management instructed shoppers to evacuate. The woman was treated at the hospital and is expected to be OK. Police are not looking to charge the woman, saying she is the victim, and believe that the situation is a lesson learned.

One local news outlet spoke with the owner of a firearms training business for women called “She’s a Pistol, LLC.”  The business owner believes the incident was “completely avoidable” which, of course, it was.  However, rather than provide meaningful gun safety options, she chose to offer the following wrongheaded safety advice:

“Never leave your purse inside a grocery cart unattended,” she said. “My kids growing up knew not to go digging in my purse for gum or candy. There’s nothing in Mom’s purse that she can’t get for you. So, ask.”

“Another safe option for people who want to carry a gun in their purse are bags that are designed for concealed carry,” she added, according to the report.  “The bags have a special compartment inside with a detachable holster in it.”

Sources:

Jeremy Jones and Summer Poole, “Toddler Finds Gun in Grandmother’s Purse, Shoots Grandma: Mobile Police,” whnt.com (August 2, 2023).

Shamonee Baker, “Trainer: Alabama Grandmother Shot by 4-year-old was ‘Tragic but Avoidable’,” cbs42.com (August 3, 2023).