8-year-old playing with gun shoots sibling, WA cops say. Their older brother is charged
An 8-year-old was playing with his older brother’s gun when he accidentally shot his 9-year-old sibling in the head, authorities in Washington said.
Now their 18-year-old brother is charged months after the incident for leaving his gun in an unsafe place, King County prosecutors said in Nov. 15 charging documents.
The man left his gun on his bed while he was in the shower on May 19 in Federal Way, prosecutors said.
His 8-year-old and 9-year-old brothers went into his room and got a hold of the gun, prosecutors said.
They took turns pulling the trigger, and the gun fired when the 8-year-old pulled it while pointing it at his brother, prosecutors said.
The 9-year-old was shot in the head, according to documents, but his injuries were not life threatening.
The man told his mother he bought the gun after another one of his siblings was beaten up at a bus stop, police said in the probable cause statement.
He also told investigators he bought the gun “from some dude” for $200 at a transit center, police said.
He faces a charge of first-degree community endangerment due to unsafe storage of a firearm.
This story was originally published November 25, 2022 at 7:43 PM with the headline "8-year-old playing with gun shoots sibling, WA cops say. Their older brother is charged."
