DELAND, Fla. — A 3-year-old Florida boy is dead after he shot himself with a handgun that he found in his parents' bedroom, according to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff Mike Chitwood said deputies responded to a pair of 911 calls just before 6:30 p.m. Wednesday reporting a shooting at a home in DeLand.
A deputy arrived a short time later and attempted life-saving measures, but the boy was pronounced dead at a local hospital just after 7 p.m.
Investigators said the 3-year-old was home with his 16-year-old sister and 7-year-old brother while their parents were at Publix.
Chitwood said the 3-year-old went into the parents' bedroom and was able to remove a handgun from his father's nightstand. The boy discharged the firearm once, which resulted in the fatal injury.
The father is a Florida state corrections officer, who said his firearms were normally kept in a safe in the bedroom, according to the sheriff's office.
Investigators said the safe's electronic lock function had stopped working, and the firearms were instead placed on top of the refrigerator in the kitchen and in the nightstand.
Chitwood said the case will be investigated and submitted to the State Attorney's Office for review.
"I cannot imagine there's anything in the law books that can punish that family more than what happened last night," Chitwood said.
The state Department of Children and Families responded to the home and is dedicating resources and supervision to the family.
