GREENVILLE, AL | RICKEY STOKES NEWS
A 5-year-old child died Wednesday afternoon following an accidental shooting in Greenville, according to the Greenville Police Department.
Officers were dispatched around 3 p.m. to the emergency room at Regional Medical Center of Central Alabama after hospital staff reported that a child had arrived with a gunshot wound.
When officers arrived, the child was being treated by emergency room personnel.
In a press release, Greenville Police Chief Justin Lovvorn said the child’s parents told investigators they had just arrived home and were still sitting in their driveway when the child located a handgun inside the vehicle. The firearm discharged, striking the child.
The parents immediately transported the child to the hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
The Greenville Police Department has opened a death investigation and is awaiting autopsy results before making a final determination in the case.
Chief Lovvorn emphasized the importance of firearm safety, urging gun owners to keep weapons secured and out of reach of children.
No charges have been announced at this time.
