Five-Year-Old Accidental Shoots and Kills Eight-Year-Old Brother

Around 2 p.m. Thursday in Arkansas a 911 call reported a “shooting involving a toddler”. Police in Jefferson County dispatched to a scene on the outskirts of Pine Bluff, 40 miles from Little Rock, where an eight-year-old boy was found unresponsive. 

His five-year-old brother accidentally shot the young boy after gaining access to a firearm in the house. It was reported that the mother was sleeping at the time of the incident before waking up to the sound of a gunshot. The mother’s four other children were present in the house as well. 

Later, after being notified, the Jefferson County Coroner pronounced the eight-year-old dead at the scene. The Arkansas Department of Human Services was also informed and assessed all the children’s welfare in the home. 

According to Everytown for Gun Safety, so far there have been at least 126 accidental shootings by kids, killing 55 people and wounding 78. Last year saw a total of 392 unintentional shootings by children, leaving 163 people dead and 248 injured.