2-year-old shot in head after accidentally knocking gun off shelf, Texas family says

A 2-year-old boy died after he was shot in the head at a home in Texas, and his family says it was an accident, according to San Antonio police.

Officers were first dispatched to an area hospital at 3:14 a.m., April 27, after a boy arrived in critical condition with a gunshot wound, but family said the “accidental shooting occurred at their home” on the city’s west side, a police release said. Officers then went to the home to investigate.

The boy was reaching for something on a shelf and accidentally knocked down a gun, which then fired, striking the boy in the head, his father told police, WOAI reported.

The toddler’s father and grandmother took him to a hospital, police told KENS.

The boy later died, according to a medical examiner’s report obtained by the TV station.

Police have not said what charges, if any, will be brought, but an investigation is ongoing.

While it’s rare for a firearm to go off by being dropped, it has been known to happen. For example, Sig Sauer began offering free upgrades to its P320 model pistol after it was proven to discharge when dropped under specific conditions.

This story was originally published April 30, 2023 at 4:48 PM with the headline "2-year-old shot in head after accidentally knocking gun off shelf, Texas family says."