A new tragedy with firearms in the United States. An 8-year-old boy was shot and killed by his 5-year-old brother Thursday in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The American television channel CNN reports that an investigation has been opened to determine the exact circumstances of the tragedy, but the authorities favor the thesis of the accident.
“This is a tragic incident that could have been prevented. I cannot stress enough that firearms must be securely secured and out of the reach of children at all times,” said Jefferson County Sheriff Lafayette Woods Jr.
The shooting took place at a residence on the outskirts of Pine Bluff, a town of about 40,000 people. Police forces found the 8-year-old boy unconscious when they arrived at the scene. The young victim’s body will now have to be taken to the state medical examiner’s office for an autopsy.
126 unintentional shootings of children in 2022
The Arkansas Department of Social Services was quickly notified of the shooting and attended the scene. The 5-year-old boy and four other siblings were taken and will be placed in the care of his aunt pending the outcome of the investigation. In fact, the investigators will try to determine if this incident is the result of negligence on the part of the parents, while the police found several weapons in the house.
“There are unanswered questions, like actual gun safety,” said Sheriff Woods. “The mother said the weapons were safe, but we are now verifying that information.”
The sheriff also stated that “gun owners who do not properly secure their firearms are only a fraction of a second away from one of these tragedies occurring in their homes.”
Since the beginning of the year there have been no less than 126 unintentional shootings against children in the United States, leaving 55 dead and 78 injured according to the Everytown for Gun Safety association, which counts the victims.
During the past year, at least 392 unintentional shootings by children left 163 dead and 248 injured.
Source: BFM TV
