Louisiana: In a shocking incident in the US State of Louisiana, a three-year-old boy accidentally shot himself in the face after gaining access to his father's gun, according to authorities. Officials responding to a 911 call said the boy found his father's gun stored in a bedroom on Wednesday and shot himself.
The boy's father attempted to revive him until responders arrived, but the toddler died on the scene, Fox8 News reported. Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Gerald Sticker said the gun was kept between the mattress and the box spring of the bed, easily accessible to the child.
The father reportedly kept the firearm for safety reasons but did not secure it properly, leading to the unfortunate tragedy. Sticker emphasised the importance of storing guns unloaded, in a safe, or with a trigger lock to prevent such tragedies. Now, the boy's father may face negligent homicide charges, although no charges have been filed yet as the investigation continues.
A similar incident happened last month when a three-year-old boy accidentally shot himself in the foot after finding a gun in a vehicle in Midfield, Alabama, according to reports. He was taken to Children's of Alabama Hospital and was listed in critical condition but was stable.
In a separate incident Tuesday in Louisiana's Goodbee, a 15-year-old girl was accidentally shot while a male relative was handling a gun in another room. She died from her injuries on Wednesday. The girl was sitting in the living when a male relative told deputies he was handling a firearm in another room of the house and it accidentally fired.
Additionally, a 4-year-old child was fatally shot in a home in Lafayette around 10:30 am (local time) on Thursday, according to police, but no details have emerged as of now. In May, a two-year-old boy fatally shot himself in the head with a .40-caliber handgun in Michigan. Three people, including the child's father, were charged for violating Michigan's safe storage law.
Gun violence has long been a concern in the United States. It must be noted here that carrying a gun is a constitutional right in the United States. As a result, it is quite easy to acquire a firearm and almost one in every three people in the US owns a gun. It must be noted here that carrying a gun is a constitutional right in the United States.
There was renewed focus on US gun laws after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, who was in the middle of a campaign rally in Pennsylvania last week. It was reported that while making an assassination attempt at Trump, the shooter used his father's gun.
ALSO READ | Shooter had photos of Donald Trump, President Biden and FBI director on his phone: Report
