8-year-old Utah boy dies after accidentally shooting himself with gun found in mom's car
An 8-year-old boy who was left alone while his mother was inside a Utah convenience store fatally shot himself with a gun he found in their car, police said.
The shooting happened just before 8 p.m. Monday in the parking lot of a Maverick gas station in Lehi, about 30 miles south of Salt Lake City, Jeanteil Livingston with the Lehi City Police Department told NBC affiliate KSL-TV of Salt Lake City.
The child was taken to the hospital in critical condition and then airlifted to a different hospital. He died from his injuries Tuesday morning, police said.
Police said the shooting appeared to be "unintentional and self-inflicted," The Associated Press reported. The gun was under a seat in the vehicle.
The shooting happened less than two weeks after the death of a 5-year-old Utah boy who accidentally shot himself with a handgun he found in his parents' bedroom, according to The Associated Press. The parents have not been charged.
According to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Utah does not have any laws that penalize adults for failing to secure an unattended firearm.
The 5-year-old boy's family released a statement warning others to take precautions, The Associated Press reported.
"This heartbreaking incident has taught us difficult lessons, and we deeply regret that it unfolded this way," a statement attributed to the "Wilson and Hunsaker families" said. "Our hearts are shattered, and we hope that our family’s loss serves as a poignant reminder of how quickly life can change."
