UPDATED: ASO investigates accidental firearm discharge that injured juvenile
Staff report
Updated on March 13 with new information released by ASO.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – An 8-year-old girl is expected to survive after she or another juvenile accidentally discharged a firearm at a relative’s house while the relative was out of town.
Just before 5:00 p.m. on March 12, the Combined Communications Center received a 911 call reporting that an 8-year-old child had been shot in the neck.
Deputies with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and Alachua County Fire Rescue responded immediately to the scene. Upon arrival, first responders located an 8-year-old female suffering from a single gunshot wound to the neck. Despite the seriousness of the injury, the child was conscious and alert when deputies and rescue personnel began rendering aid.
To ensure the quickest possible transport for life-saving care, deputies moved quickly to block intersections and clear traffic along the route to the trauma center at UF Health Shands Hospital. We are grateful to report that the young girl is expected to survive her injury.
Detectives and forensic investigators responded to the scene to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting. During the investigation, it was learned that the juvenile was visiting a family member’s residence while the homeowner was out of town. Another family member had been staying at the home to house-sit.
While inside the residence, the child and another juvenile made their way upstairs into a bedroom where they located an unsecured firearm. Investigators determined the children began handling the weapon when it discharged, resulting in the injury to the 8-year-old.
It is important to note that the homeowner lives alone and does not have children. The homeowner was away on a trip and had entrusted the residence to a family member who allowed the children to visit the home, unaware that a firearm was present inside the residence.
This incident serves as an important reminder about the critical responsibility of safely securing firearms, especially when others may have access to your home.
Original
Deputies and EMS are at the scene of an accidental shooting in the 5000 block of NW 44th Place.
According to information released by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, a juvenile was injured after a firearm was accidentally discharged, and deputies will be at the scene for an extended period of time to conduct a thorough investigation.
There is no threat to the public at large.
Another negligent discharge of a firearm. If finger was on trigger and firearm is loaded, or accessible to a juvenile it is user error. Accidental only applies to a mechanical defect of original parts. Hopefully the juvenile will be ok. Owning a firearm includes responsible storage and handling.
So much for that gun violence symposium thing they are wasting taxpayer money on…I’m for spending money on incarceration instead.
The city and the county never have make a decision about anything except money for more parks and more money for developers. On issues that confuse them, (and there are many), they discuss, meet, have a discourse, and just talk and talk and talk and then table the decision.
If you read the article he lived alone. He had it in a drawer in his bedroom. The family member was house sitting and brought 2 young kids there. Sounds like they were snooping around and the family member one should of kept them out of the places they shouldn’t be in. It wasn’t the owners fault the kid shot herself. They should of stayed out of his stuff and it wouldn’t of happened. He wasn’t even there. He had it secured upstairs in his bedroom in his drawer where no one should be at while he was out of town. If the kids were being supervised they would never been allow to be upstairs in his private room. Only one to blame is the kids and the family member who allow them to roam and get into things without supervision.