Detroit: Child in critical condition after unsecured gun fires

A 2-year-old boy is in critical condition at a Detroit hospital following an accidental shooting on Tuesday morning. The incident occurred in a private residence on the city's west side, where an unsecured firearm discharged while the child was present.

Detroit Police received the call at 8:11 a.m. on Evergreen Road. Officers spoke with the family and learned the mother was in the kitchen preparing breakfast when she heard a loud pop. The 2-year-old was struck by the round. A 4-year-old sibling in the same area was not injured, according to Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison. The father was at the hospital with the injured child during the chief's remarks.

The weapon was registered to the child's mother. She did not hold a concealed pistol license, though Bettison noted she was not required to have one if the gun was kept in her home. The investigation is ongoing, and police have not yet determined how the child accessed the weapon or triggered the discharge.

In response to the incident, Bettison announced the launch of community safety forums. These meetings will support an existing gun lock distribution effort. He emphasized that residents often believe a gun is safe if it is stored in a purse or tucked on a shelf. He warned that this is not always true, as the weapon can still fire unintentionally.

Bettison stated that gun locks are available on request at various community locations, including the Detroit Police Department Sixth Precinct office which serves the Evergreen Road neighborhood. He also pointed to a distribution map on the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services website that lists times and places to request a device.

Michigan's Secure Storage Law requires owners to keep unattended weapons unloaded and locked, or stored in a locked box, if a minor is likely to be present. The law applies when it is reasonably known that a child is in the area.