A 6-year-old in Detroit shot their infant brother in the face this week, authorities said.
The baby was jumping in his bouncy seat when he was shot once in the cheek and once in the shoulder by the older child Wednesday evening, Detroit Police Department Assistant Chief Charles Fitzgerald told reporters shortly after the incident.
The infant is in stable condition and is expected to survive, WXYZ Detroit reported.
The 6-year-old was handling the unsecured firearm when the children’s father and uncle were in the backyard of their Tennessee Street home, and their mother was down the block.
Fitzgerald looked visibly distraught when addressing the public Wednesday night.
“Here we are again. Once again another senseless, preventable, horrible incident,” he said.
“We’re here far too often talking about securing the weapons. There are gun locks. There are gun safes. The highest shelf you can find in your house — put the gun up as high as you possibly can.”
Neighbor Syreeta Wilson told WXYZ Detroit that she was upset but not shocked by the incident.
“It’s happening too much. We are losing too many people over this. These weapons,” she lamented.
“Get a lock, a safe deposit box. Lock it up in a closet so they can’t reach it. We need to really stop this. We’re adults, they’re children. They’re innocent.”
SOURCE: New york post
