As the debate over gun rights ramps up in the U.S., reports of accidental shootings that would have remained local tragedies have been rising to the forefront of national news coverage.
This week, a six-year-old in New Jersey died after being shot by a four-year-old neighbor. According to a report from New York ABC station WABC, Brandon Holt of Toms River, New Jersey died after being shot in the head with a .22-caliber rifle.
Holt was playing in a four-year-old neighbor’s yard when the four-year-old found the rifle inside his house. The gun is reported to have accidentally fired and hit Holt from 15 yards away. Police have stated that the four-year-old’s parents were also in the yard. Holt was taken to Jersey Shore Medical Center, where he later died from his wounds.
Toms River police are still investigating and have not released any further details about the incident, including information on how the four-year-old may have obtained the rifle.