US: 9-year-old child fatally shoots 6-year-old in Florida, police say

A nine-year-old child fatally shot a six-year-old inside a home in Florida on Monday (August 14), according to American media reports. The child was taken to thehospital but was pronounced dead. According to the police, the victim was wounded in the head with a single gunshot.

Addressing a press conference, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Assistant Chief JD Stronko said that the children were inside a home in Shady Pine Street South along with an adult at the time of the shooting.

The relationship between the children, and the victim has not been identified yet. Stronko told reporters, "We're trying to get some answers to the specifics regarding the incident."

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The adult who was in the house has been questioned by the police. It is not yet known if any charges would be filed.

Citing data analysed from Everytown for Gun Safety, CBS News reported on Tuesday there have been 240 unintentional shootings by children across the United States so far this year. Out of these, there have been 88 deaths and 160 injuries.

In Florida alone, there have been over a dozen unintentional shootings involving children this year.

Florida has a child access prevention law.

Florida Statute 790.174 states thatany person who stores or leaves a loaded firearm and "who knows or reasonably should know that a minor is likely to gain access to the firearm" is required to "keep the firearm in a securely locked box or container or in a location which a reasonable person would believe to be secure or shall secure it with a trigger lock" in most cases.

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