A tragic incident occurred in the Wells/Goodfellow neighborhood yesterday where a 3-year-old boy accidentally shot himself after finding an unsecured firearm in a residence on the 5800 block of Selber Ct. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) Child Abuse Unit reported that the call came in just after 1 p.m. yesterday, and upon arrival, they discovered the young victim with a gunshot wound to his hip; emergency medical services promptly transported the child to the hospital for treatment, according to SLMPD’s official announcement.
Initial findings from the SLMPD reveal that a 64-year-old male, identified as the boy’s guardian, was cleaning a closet leaving a gun within reach of the child subsequently the accidental discharge occurred, the ongoing investigation into this incident is standard protocol for such cases where a child is involved in a shooting. Following these types of incidents, local authorities routinely highlight the importance of firearm safety and are urging residents with firearms to utilize gun locks as a precautionary measure. These safety devices are made widely available throughout St. Louis City and St. Louis County at various locations including police stations, firehouses and several community organizations to help prevent future accidents similar to this heartbreaking occurrence…