A two-year-old boy died in St. Louis, Missouri last Wednesday after accidentally shooting himself in the head.
Police arrived on the block 900 of Melvin Drive, around 1 p.m., following reports of a shooting in the neighborhood.
Upon arrival , officers found a boy bleeding profusely and rushed him to the hospital in a police van.
The interim chief of the St. Louis Police Department, Michael Sack, explained that this was because “the estimated time of arrival of the ambulance was going to be too long”.
On the way they connected with an ambulance, which completed the journey to the hospital emergency room, however, the police confirmed that the child had died on Wednesday afternoon.
Sack expressed his horror later that day, speaking outside the property where the shooting occurred: “This is just a terrible e tragedy that should never have happened”.
“Guns are inherently dangerous. There are several in our community. All of us who own firearms or who have firearms must be responsible with their care and use, “he added.
Sack added that at least one member of the child’s family was present when it happened the shooting, but it is not clear if this included an adult.
The interim police chief urged parents to keep firearms safe and out of the reach of children, noting that the St. Louis has free gun locks available to the public.
Commented: “Keeping a gun out of the reach of a small child, although it is not as secure as a lock for a rms, it is better than leaving it in a low area where a child can access it.”
In a statement sent to the local television station 5 On Your Side , the mayor of St. Louis, Tishaura Jones, expressed her horror at what happened.
She said: “ Losing a child is any parent’s greatest fear, and we must do everything we can to protect our babies.
“Gun locks are available for pickup at fire stations, police and city libraries, and I encourage parents to get involved with Educators For Gun Safety for more information.”
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