A 4-year-old preschooler “unintentionally” shot his 1-year-old brother after finding an unsecured gun inside at a Texas home, authorities said Tuesday.
Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a weapons disturbance in East Harris County at around 4:25 p.m. Tuesday, said Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. Preliminary information revealed the 4-year-old boy had found an “unsecured pistol” at his home and accidentally shot at his 1-year-old sibling, Gonzalez said.
The 1-year-old was taken to a hospital and is being treated for a non-life-threatening injury, according to Gonzalez. The children’s father told KTRK-TV that the 4-year-old likes to play with toy guns and likely did not realize he had found a real gun.
Deputies were interviewing people at the scene Tuesday night, Maj. Saul Suarez with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said during a media briefing. Suarez confirmed that the 1-year-old is expected to survive and reminded the community to be responsible with weapons.
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“I want to take this time to remind the community to be responsible when it comes to weapons,” Suarez said. “Make sure that you’re securing them, especially when there’s children in the house.”
After the investigation is concluded, the case will be reported to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, Suarez said.
The shooting comes two months after a 3-year-old accidentally shot and killed her 4-year-old sister at their home in Houston, which is in Harris County. Gonzalez had called the shooting a “very preventable” situation.
“It seems like another tragic story of a child getting access to a firearm and hurting someone else,” Gonzalez said in March.
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