DETROIT – Officials say that a 1-year-old boy was shot twice by his 6-year-old sibling while jumping in his bouncy on Detroit’s east side.
The shooting occurred Wednesday (June 7) at 7:42 p.m. on Tennessee Street in the Jefferson Chalmers area.
Detroit police Assistant Chief Charles Fitzgerald gave an update on the situation.
“A 1-year-old baby was in his bouncy when another family member, a child, gets a hold of a gun and shot his sibling, not once but twice,” said Fitzgerald. “The 1-year-old was shot through his cheek and through his left shoulder. We are very fortunate that that child is still with us.”
Fitzgerald said the shooting was preventable if the family would’ve locked up their weapon or put the gun on top of a high shelf in the home.
“Once again, preventable,” Fitzgerald said. “We’re here far too often talking about securing your weapons as there are gun locks, gun safes, or even the highest shelf you could find in your house. Put the gun up as high as you can.”
Officials say the baby’s mother was down the street visiting a friend while the father was outside in the backyard with an uncle and other children while working on a fence.
Fitzgerald said the gun was a fully loaded semi-automatic.
Investigators were on the scene. They were working on getting a search warrant to go through the house.
Once the investigation is concluded, everything will be presented to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.
No one is in custody at this time.