A 3-year-old kid in California accidentally killed their younger sister. Police authorities said that the child shot their 1-year-old sibling with a handgun that wasn't secured.
California: 3-Year-Old Accidentally Shoots Younger Sister
According to USA Today's latest report, the incident happened around 7:30 a.m. local time on Monday, July 17. The accidental shooting took place at a home in Fallbrook, California.
When the San Diego County Sheriff's Department arrived at the scene, they saw the 1-year-old kid with a head injury.
Deputies and other authorities quickly took the child to the Palomar Hospital. Unfortunately, she was pronounced dead around 8:30 a.m. local time.
"The Sheriff's Department extends our sympathies to the family and those affected by this death," said the sheriff's department via NBC News.
Police officials added that the Sheriff's Homicide investigators will gather more information to determine the circumstances of the child's death.
Since the reason behind the accident was an unsecured handgun, authorities said there are no outstanding suspects.
They added that the shooting has no threat to the community so far.
Keeping Kids Safe From Handguns
The latest accidental shooting incident in California shows how important it is to secure handguns and other weapons at home.
Healthy Children reported that between 2015 and 2022, around 3,000 unintentional shootings by children happened.
These accidents caused over 1,000 deaths and almost 2,000 non-fatal gun injuries.
If you are a parent who owns guns and other weapons at your house, here's how you can secure them so that your kids will be safe:
- Use a lock box to secure your gun ammunition.
- If possible, purchase gun trigger locks. They are effective and inexpensive.
- For rifles and other bigger guns, secure them inside a locked gun safe.
- For handguns and other smaller weapons, you can use a safe or a lockbox.
Aside from these, you can also educate your children about the dangers of guns. Remember, their curiosity can still push them to try and access your weapons even if they are secured.
These are just some of the things you can do to keep your kids safe. You can click this link to see more.
