PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia police say a 4-year-old boy’s condition has improved from critical to stable after being shot in the stomach by a family member.
The shooting happened inside a home on East Penn Street in Germantown around 8:30 p.m. Thursday.
Officials say their investigation shows the victim's 45-year-old grandmother was unloading her gun to place it in a lock box when she accidentally discharged it, not knowing a round was still in the chamber.
"We transferred the family member down to police headquarters," said Chief Inspector Scott Small.
"We also recovered the weapon, a semi-automatic weapon, and we have custody of that weapon."
Related
The shooting has been determined to be accidental, and no charges will be filed at this time.
Police say three other kids were also there playing with the boy, but no one else was hurt. The boy remains in a Philadelphia hospital.
As of Wednesday, the City Controller's Office says more than 150 people under the age of 18 have been shot this year.