GREENVILLE, N.C. — A 3-year-old North Carolina boy died Friday night after accidentally shooting himself, authorities said.
According to the Greenville Police Department, the shooting occurred at about 10 p.m. EST in the 200 block of Beech Street in Greenville, The News & Observer reported.
Emergency officials arriving at the scene transported the boy to ECU Health Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, according to the newspaper.
Police said the Wildwood Villas apartment complex where the child was staying belonged to his aunt, Greenville police spokesperson Kristen Hunter told WITN-TV.
Initial investigations suggested that the child got possession of the weapon and suffered a self-inflicted wound, WXII-TV reported.
Police said that it did not appear that firearms in the apartment were not improperly stored, according to the television station.
“The adults in the home are believed to have taken precautions to keep the weapon out of reach,” police said in a statement.
Police said charges were not expected to be filed. The child’s name has been withheld to allow family members to make “proper notifications.”
“After consulting with the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office, the incident has been ruled a tragic accident,” police wrote in a Facebook post.
© 2024 Cox Media Group
