A 5-year-old boy and his sibling were attempting to play with a non secure loaded firearm in a Detroit residence when it went off, killing him, according to police.
A couple of siblings, ages 5 and 6, were left in the care of their uncle on Monday, according to authorities. The uncle was reportedly playing a video game downstairs in the basement when the kids discovered a weapon, which went off, and the 5-year-old was hit in the eye.
“The 6-year-old told the uncle, ‘My brother is dying. We need help,’ “said Detroit Police Department Deputy Chief Deshaune Sims.
The injured child was taken to the hospital by a neighbor, where he died.
According to police, the boy’s uncle is refusing to cooperate and is presently in police custody.
“Right now, we’re trying to locate a weapon. We have not been able to recover a weapon at this time,” Sims said.
According to reports, the 6-year-old sibling has been removed from the house. It’s unclear whether they were taken away by police or Child Protective Services.
Police are also urging gun owners to keep their firearms secure.
“Unfortunately, we’re here again. We have been at many of these scenes, and the message is if you have a weapon, put it up, lock it, keep it away from the children. Unfortunately, parents and caregivers are not taking heed to that message,” Sims said.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy is advocating for legislation that would criminally charge parents for failing to properly store weapons, but the bill is still in the legislature.
Meanwhile, police have announced that they will distribute free gun locks in Detroit communities.
Last year, 67 children were shot in the city.
