OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office is urging gun owners to safely store their weapons, after detectives say a four-year-old shot and killed a two-year-old in an unintentional shooting Sunday afternoon.
The shooting happened around 4 p.m. in the Cove East at Storey Lake subdivision.
Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon said the two-year-old’s family was visiting the Sunshine State from Georgia when tragedy struck.
“Once you pull that trigger, that projectile is going somewhere, and this one hit a 2-year-old,” said Blackmon during a press conference about the case Monday.
Blackmon said the four-year-old was briefly left unsupervised inside the family’s car as the adults checked into their vacation rental when the shooting occurred.
“The gun was unsecured. I would think if it was in a holster, maybe it’d make it harder for the child to manipulate as well. But it’s literally laying out by itself, so it’s easy to grab,” said Blackmon.
According to the non-profit Moms Demand Action, which advocates for public safety measures to protect people from gun violence, unintentional shootings by children tend to increase during the summer months.
“Vehicles are the second most common location for unintentional shooting by children to occur particular for children 5 and younger,” said Wendy Tenn, a volunteer with Moms Demand Action.
Tenn told Channel 9 there are multiple gun locks and attachable gun safes that are compatible with every make and model of a vehicle.
“As responsible gun owners, don’t assume that hiding a gun or placing it somewhere out of reach is a safe approach,” said Tenn.
She said the best safety practice is the one you use most consistently. And said the tragedy in Osceola County serves as a reminder that unintentional shootings are 100 percent preventable.
“It is a painful reminder that secure firearm storage can save life,” said Tenn.
During Monday’s press conference, Sheriff Blackmon echoed that message. Demonstrating how gun locks can be used to prevent tragedy.
“This (the gun lock) is a $5 device, and we’ll give them away for free,” said Blackmon, “If people want to stop by the sheriff’s office and pick them up, we give these away for free. And if they can save one life, it’s worth that investment to us.”
On Monday, Channel 9 asked Sheriff Blackmon whether charges could be coming for the gun owner in Sunday’s shooting.
Blackmon stated it was early in the investigation, but that his deputies were meeting with the Orange-Osceola State Attorney’s Office on Monday afternoon to discuss possible charges.
Channel 9 has asked for an update and will share that information once it becomes available.
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