8-Year-Old Boy Shoots Himself While Playing With a Gun Stored in a Car: Where and How It Happened

A witness said he heard the gunshot coming from the passenger compartment and shortly after the desperate screams of the child’s mother.

Weapons, these damned things, especially if placed near those who are not responsible or, worse, those who are not aware of their dangerousness. Children have yet to discover the many dangers that surround them, if not controlled and protected the worst can happen, when we least expect it. What happened to a child in Lehi, a town in Utah, USA, is truly incredible.

We are talking about a tragic accident which took place on Monday evening and which, unfortunately, involved a child of only 8 years old. The little boy, in fact, died after accidentally shooting himself with a gun. The weapon had been left in the car by his mother, a weapon that was unattended, along with the child, while she was busy buying some things in a supermarket.

According to ‘Associated Press’, the child would have easily found theloaded gun under a seat of the vehicle. He was waiting for his mother, who would return from the supermarket in a few minutes, but the mother, the child, would never see him alive again.

The accident occurred around 7.40pm and, although the child was immediately taken to hospital in serious conditionsdied the following day after being rushed by helicopter to a better prepared and specialized facility, police said. Authorities also said the shooting appeared to be “accidental and self-inflicted.” As is usual in such cases, an investigation has been launched to clarify the circumstances and responsibilities.

The dramatic episode occurred in a parking lot of a Maverick gas station. Doug Shields, eyewitnesssaid he clearly heard the shot coming from the passenger compartment and shortly after the desperate screams of his mother. It was immediately understood that the child had found the gun under the seat of the car.

A similar case occurred, again in the United States, less than two weeks ago, in Santaquin, Utah, where a 5-year-old boy died after accidentally shooting himself with a gun found in his parents’ bedroom. Currently, in the state of Utah there are no laws that require keeping firearms in safety conditions to prevent access by minors. There are no specific requirements for storing weapons.