U.S. NewsCrime

Actions

Police: 3-year-old shot, killed 4-year-old sister

A toddler shot her 4-year-old sibling after finding an loaded pistol in a bedroom, authorities said.
Image of police lights
Posted
and last updated

A 3-year-old old girl accidentally shot and killed her four-year-old old sister, authorities said. 

According to the Houston Police Department, the toddlers were inside an apartment on Sunday where a group of family members were gathered. 

Houston County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the children were unsupervised in a bedroom where the three-year-old found a loaded semi-automatic pistol and shot her sister. 

President Joe Biden

Biden expected to sign new executive order on gun control

Biden plans to unveil his latest efforts to curb gun violence in a speech from Monterey Park, California, where a gunman shot 20 people in January.

LEARN MORE

"It appears that one parent thought that the other parents was maybe watching the other children," Gonzalez said. 

The family told deputies that they ran into the room after hearing a single gunshot. The 4-year-old wasn't responsive and was pronounced dead at the scene, Gonzalez stated. 

Police have not said who the gun belonged to or whether charges will be filed. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that 33% of U.S. children live in homes with firearms, many of which are not properly stored.  

According to Everytown for Gun Safety, a gun safety advocacy group, there have been 58 unintentional shootings involving children this year. More than 20 of them have resulted in deaths.  

Officer's take a photo of the AR-15 style rifle found in an 18-year-old student's backpack

5-year-old boy, AR15-style gun involved in recent school incidents

An exclusive Scripps News investigation found increasing numbers of guns at schools. Cases involved teens and kids as young as five.

LEARN MORE