NEWARK, NJ – A 3-year-old boy from New Jersey suffered critical injuries after accidentally shooting himself, Newark authorities reported. The incident took place inside a residential home on Wainwright Street near Bragaw Avenue, to which police responded at approximately 5:47 p.m. local time on Thursday, Aug. 15.
Upon arrival at the incident scene, police discovered the injured boy alongside two other unharmed children. The toddler, now in a critical condition, was transported to University Hospital for immediate care. Preliminary police investigations indicate that the shooting was an accidental self-inflicted incident, and a firearm was recovered from the scene.
In a chilling aftermath of the incident, footage from a local store’s surveillance camera showed the injured boy’s older sibling entering the store with blood on his clothes, pleading for help. The store’s manager dialed 911 after one of the store clerks found the toddler in grave condition in the home.
The distressing incident has stirred discussion around firearm safety, particularly when children are present in homes. Newark Department of Public Safety used its Facebook platform to spread awareness about safe firearm storage practices, urging locals to ensure firearms are unloaded, securely stored, and unreachable for children.
This unfortunate incident follows a similar event a few months back in Charlotte, North Carolina, where another toddler lost his life due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound from his mother’s unsecured firearm. Such incidents underscore the critical importance of secure firearm storage, particularly in homes with children.