A 6-year-old boy found an unregistered handgun in his Detroit home and twice shot his 1-year-old brother, who police said is lucky to be alive.
The toddler was strapped into a baby bouncer when his older sibling discovered the unsecured and fully loaded gun Wednesday evening, according to authorities. He fired off a pair of shots around 7:40 p.m., striking his brother once in the cheek and once in the left shoulder, Detroit police said.
The infant was initially taken to Corewell Health’s Beaumont Hospital in Grosse Pointe then transferred to another facility, where he is listed in stable condition, according to The Detroit News.
“We are very, very fortunate that child is still with us,” Assistant Detroit Police Chief Charles Fitzgerald told reporters.
No arrests have been made but authorities have since requested a search warrant for the home where the shooting occurred. Fitzgerald added that findings from the ongoing investigation will be presented to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office to determine whether any charges will be filed.
At the time of the shooting, the children’s father was in the backyard working on the fence while their mother was visiting a friend down the street. They are both cooperating with the investigation.
Fitzgerald held up the incident as an example to all gunowners and urged households with firearms to safely store those weapons.
“Here we are again. We’re here far too often talking about securing your weapons,” Fitzgerald said. “There are gun locks, there are gun safes, there are the highest shelves you can find in your house. Put the gun up as high as you possibly can.”