DETROIT – A 9-year-old boy is dead after accidentally shooting himself at a home on Detroit's west side, police said.
The shooting happened Saturday at a home in the 16000 block of Northlawn Street.
A neighbor said around 4:30 p.m. Saturday he saw a 10-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl run out the front door. The children had been home alone when the youngest found a gun and accidentally shot himself in the chest area, according to police.
The 9-year-old boy was rushed to Sinai-Grace Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
The boy's mother arrived at the home within a half hour of the shooting.
Neighbors said they often saw the boy walking his dog and that the family had recently moved to the area.
Detroit's police chief was troubled and visibly frustrated Saturday night. He mentioned this is the third incident in the past few weeks where a child has been hurt when they got access to a weapon.
No charges have yet been filed. Police told Local 4 News there's no law specifying how old a child must be to be left home alone. The issue, however, is that young kids were able to get access to a deadly weapon.
Watch Local 4 News and stay with ClickOnDetroit.com for updates on this developing story.