Polk County Sheriff's Office video in report.
USA, FLORIDA. – A three-year-old died Thursday evening after he allegedly accidentally shot himself in the face with his father's firearm while the family was trying to purchase food at a Burger King drive-through restaurant in Bartow, Florida. The incident occurred after the father's bank card was declined and he was trying to find another way to pay for the food.
According to police, the father removed his loaded Glock firearm from his waistband and placed it in the vehicle. The child, who was sitting in the back seat, allegedly grabbed the firearm and pulled the trigger.
Grady Judd, sheriff of Polk County, said during a media conference that the father heard a loud bang before he ran around the vehicle. A person in a nearby vehicle called emergency services. The boy was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. According to investigators, he would have celebrated his fourth birthday soon.
The family had moved from Connecticut to Florida about four months ago. The father cooperated with the investigation and no arrest was initially made. Investigators would hand over their findings to the state prosecutor's office, which must decide on possible charges. Judd said the investigation must first follow the proper legal process and that authorities at that stage had not indicated they would recommend criminal prosecution.
The incident highlights the dangers when firearms are left within children's reach. Safety guidelines recommend that firearms be stored unloaded and safely in a locked safe place, with ammunition stored separately, so that children cannot access them.
Source: Polk County Sheriff's Office
This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
