3yo girl shot by 4yo brother
LORAIN, Ohio -- A 3-year-old girl is in critical condition after police say her 4-year-old brother accidentally shot her in the head.
Police say it happened just after 10 a.m. Sunday at a home in the 1300 block of W. 28th Street in Lorain.
Upon their arrival, officers found the victim in her father's arms.
Five people were inside the home -- including the two children -- at the time the shooting happened.
Investigators say it appears the two children were playing alone in the home when they located the handgun. The boy was reportedly playing with the firearm when he accidentally pulled the trigger.
In a statement to police, the father, Jeremy Morales, said two unknown black males wearing all black with black hoodies came to the door of the home, pointed a gun and began to shoot. Morales said his daughter was struck by one of the shots before the suspects fled in an unknown direction.
The mother, Angelica Melendez, told police that Morales keeps a handgun in the home for protection, but doesn't know where he keeps it. She told police she heard a loud bang, then she and Morales ran into the children's bedroom to find the girl bleeding from the head. Melendez suspected one of the children found Morales's gun and mistook it for one of their numerous toy guns.
Police state that the couple's 4-year-old son repeatedly apologized to officers. He then led police to a bedroom, saying the gun was in that room. Police asked about an obvious toy gun in the room and the boy said, "No, not that one. The other one has bullets."
Police eventually recovered a handgun from the scene.
The incident is under investigation and will be presented to the Lorain County Prosecutor's Office for review.
Police say it happened just after 10 a.m. Sunday at a home in the 1300 block of W. 28th Street in Lorain.
Upon their arrival, officers found the victim in her father's arms.
Five people were inside the home -- including the two children -- at the time the shooting happened.
Investigators say it appears the two children were playing alone in the home when they located the handgun. The boy was reportedly playing with the firearm when he accidentally pulled the trigger.
In a statement to police, the father, Jeremy Morales, said two unknown black males wearing all black with black hoodies came to the door of the home, pointed a gun and began to shoot. Morales said his daughter was struck by one of the shots before the suspects fled in an unknown direction.
The mother, Angelica Melendez, told police that Morales keeps a handgun in the home for protection, but doesn't know where he keeps it. She told police she heard a loud bang, then she and Morales ran into the children's bedroom to find the girl bleeding from the head. Melendez suspected one of the children found Morales's gun and mistook it for one of their numerous toy guns.
Police state that the couple's 4-year-old son repeatedly apologized to officers. He then led police to a bedroom, saying the gun was in that room. Police asked about an obvious toy gun in the room and the boy said, "No, not that one. The other one has bullets."
Police eventually recovered a handgun from the scene.
The incident is under investigation and will be presented to the Lorain County Prosecutor's Office for review.
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