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Boy accidentally shoots 2-year-old brother to death after finding gun in glove box

A 7-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed his 2-year-old brother inside a truck parked in a California shopping center, authorities said.

On Monday, just before 4 p.m. local time, the boy accidentally shot his brother in the parking lot of a shopping center in Rancho Cucamonga, California, about 45 miles east of Los Angeles, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

"Through investigation, deputies learned the victim and his 7-year-old brother were inside a truck when the 7-year-old found a firearm in the glovebox, resulting in the fatal shooting," the agency said in a written statement.

First responders rushed the wounded toddler to a hospital, where he died of the injuries, officials said.

Incident under investigation

Further details, such as who was responsible for the children at the time and who the gun belonged to, were not available as the investigation remained in its early stages Tuesday morning.

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"The Sheriff’s Specialized Investigations Division responded and assumed the investigation," according to the Sheriff's Department statement. "A report will be sent to the District Attorney’s Office for review."

Anyone with information was urged to contact the Sheriff's Specialized Investigations Division at 909-890-4904. Information may also be provided anonymously to the We-Tip hotline at 800-892-7463.

Misdemeanor or felony in California

In California, a gun owner who keeps a loaded firearm within reach and a minor that is under their care obtains it, it could lead to the gun owner being charged with a misdemeanor or felony if the child uses it and it results in the death of another person or carries it into a public location, according to the California Attorney General's office.

Legal actions could be taken against the gun owner "unless you stored the firearm in a locked container or locked the firearm with a locking device to temporarily keep it from functioning."

How often do accidental shootings occur?

In 2023, accidental firearm injuries and deaths made up nearly 4% of all firearm deaths, according to the Colorado Department of Health and Environment. Around 67% of unintentional firearm deaths involved a handgun.

"People living in the U.S. are four times more likely to die from an unintentional firearm injury than residents of other high-income countries," according to the department.

Back-to-back accidental shootings

The day after the 7-year-old accidentally shot his sibling, a 3-year-old accidentally shot and injured their 1-year-old sibling in North Carolina "with a firearm that was being kept in the house," the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office said in a release, according to The Star, a part of the USA TODAY Network.

The toddler in that case is being treated at a local hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

How to store guns around children

Guns should be stored unloaded, locked with a firearms safety device and stored in a locked container, according to the the California Attorney General's Office. Ammunition should be stored in a separate location from the firearm.

"There is no such thing as being too careful with children and guns," the office stated. "Never assume that simply because a toddler may lack finger strength, they can't pull the trigger."

Gun owners should never leave a firearm "lying around the house."

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