KISSIMMEE, Fla. – An “accidental shooting” on Thursday afternoon left a 3-year-old boy in the ICU, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said the shooting happened around 3:30 p.m. along Amber Way in Kissimmee.
In a news conference on Friday, Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon said the child shot himself once in the chest. He is in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery.
“By the mere grace of God, he’s not severely injured,” Blackmon said. “This incident could have easily resulted in a fatal tragedy.”
Investigators said the firearm was accessible to the child and was not properly secured, and that the child was not alone at the time — several other children were in the home.
“I was kind of confused because I wasn’t sure. We saw the crime scene tape and we just want to know what was going on,” one neighbor told News 6. “My blessings go out to them.”
The family is cooperating with authorities, and two potential investigations are underway. Charges have not yet been filed, but Blackmon said they could range from a misdemeanor to more serious felony charges depending on the circumstances.
Under Florida State Statute 790.001, gun owners are required to safely store loaded firearms in a lock box, container or other locking device to keep them out of reach of children.
One neighbor, Cynthia, said it was upsetting to hear that a child was hurt in a preventable shooting.
“It’s very sad, but I just hope and pray that, they’ll get over it. And I think maybe mother or father, wherever lives with them will learn their lesson,” she said.
During the news conference, Blackmon also announced that the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office is hosting a free gun lock giveaway on May 1.
“If somebody don’t want to go wait or they have an issue with their guns and you can access [a lock] through Amazon, I just looked it up,” Blackmon said.
It’s five bucks and they’ll deliver to the front door, local hardware stores and five months of your child’s work life is worth a lot more than $5."