Parent's decision to have guns in the home tragically backfires

6-year-old finds key to gun safe, shoots self in head

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By KOMO Staff

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Summary

Deputies say a boy is in critical condition after finding a pistol locked in a safe and pointing the gun at his head before pulling the trigger.

Story Published: Aug 10, 2010 at 11:50 AM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 11, 2010 at 3:21 PM PDT

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• Detectives: Brother shot 6-year-old boy in head

SHELTON, Wash. -- A 6-year-old boy accidentally shot himself in the head after managing to unlock his parents' gun safe on Tuesday.

Deputies and medics were called Tuesday morning to the home in the 2200 block of West Star Lake Drive in a rural area near Lystair Lake west of Shelton.

Mason County sheriff's deputies said the boy suffered life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Investigators said the boys' mother was taking a nap with her infant daughter when the incident occurred. The 6-year-old boy apparently found the key to a locked gun safe, unlocked the safe and pulled out a pistol, said sheriff's spokesman Dean Byrd.

The victim's 8-year-old brother reportedly told detectives his younger brother was looking at the loaded pistol when it went off, hitting him in the head.

Neighbors said they didn't hear the gunshot, and didn't know anything was wrong until the victim's older brother came running.

"The oldest boy came running over, screaming, 'Bob!'" said neighbor Bob Johnson.

The boy was listed in critical condition.