Toddler fatally shot 2-year-old brother in Minneapolis
A 4-year-old shot and killed his 2-year-old brother in a home on the 1900 block of 7th St. S. this afternoon, says Minneapolis police spokesman Sgt. Bill Palmer.
The incident occured around 12:45 p.m. on the 1900 block of 7th Street S.
At this point the details are few, but Palmer says police arrived on scene around 12:45 Wednesday. Emergency responders loaded the young victim into an ambulance, but he was pronounced dead before it left the property.
Palmer says police will investigate the incident -- including how the toddler found access to a gun -- but they are treating it as a "tragic accident."
"Clearly our message is going to be that if there's a firearm in the home, it's your responsibility to secure it," he says.
Update: 4:45 p.m.
In a statement, police say the 4-year-old was "playing with a handgun" he found in a bedroom.
Both parents and another child -- a 1-year-old sibling -- were home at the time of the incident. The children, including a 5-year-old who wasn't present, are in protective custody for now.
Police are interviewing the parents, and will turn over their findings to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office for review.
Email to Friend
Write to Editor
Print Article
