OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Osceola County deputies and state prosecutors are determining whether anyone will face criminal charges after a 4-year-old accidentally shot and killed a 2-year-old relative while the children were left unattended inside a vehicle.
Officials confirmed Tuesday that the handgun used in the shooting belonged to the 2-year-old’s mother.
The shooting happened Sunday outside an Airbnb on Scrapbook Street.
Investigators said the children were left unsupervised in the vehicle when the older child found the unsecured firearm and fired it, striking the toddler.
The 2-year-old was rushed to the hospital but later died.
The tragedy marks the second incident in Osceola County in the past three months involving a young child gaining access to an unsecured gun.
In April, a 3-year-old boy accidentally shot himself inside a home on Amber Way.
Sheriff Chris Blackmon said the bullet caused only minor injuries.
Following that shooting, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office distributed free gun locks to residents in May in an effort to prevent similar incidents.
Sheriff Blackmon continues to urge gun owners to keep firearms unloaded, locked in a secure location and out of the reach of children.
He has encouraged residents to take advantage of free gun locks offered by the sheriff’s office.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, firearm injuries are the leading cause of death for children and teenagers under 18 in the United States.
The investigation into Sunday’s shooting remains ongoing, and prosecutors are reviewing the case to determine whether criminal charges are warranted.
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