6-year-old Lakeland boy accidentally shoots himself in head: LPD

Six-year-old killed in accidental shooting

FOX 13's Genevieve Curtis reports on a six-year-old in Lakeland County who is in critical condition after shooting himself in the head on Sunday afternoon.

LAKELAND, Fla. - A 6-year-old boy remains in critical condition at Lakeland Regional Health after police say he found a gun and accidentally shot himself in the head on Sunday afternoon, according to the Lakeland Police Department.

LPD says officers went to a home in the 200 block of Crawford Street shortly before 3:45 p.m. to investigate a report of a child shot in a vehicle parked outside.

Police said the child got inside the vehicle, found a gun inside, and accidentally shot himself.

Video: High-speed chase in stolen vehicle on I-75 ends with 2 arrests

Officers said charges have not yet been determined, but the case is open and active.

Law enforcement and community activists say that far too often children get access to firearms, resulting in deaths and accidents that are 100% preventable.

"Every new year is supposed to symbolize new beginnings, but we're still dealing with old issues and terrifyingly old issues," said Freddy Barton, the Executive Director of Safe and Sound Hillsborough.

Hillsborough nonprofit Safe and Sound's website homepage.

Accidental shootings involving children are one issue Barton wishes we weren't talking about to start the year.

"It's not that a million new guns hit the street. It's just people are become so relaxed and desensitized to this issue," said Barton. "And everyone feels that this won't happen to me or this can't happen to me."

This comes after a 12-year-old boy died from accidentally shooting himself at his home in South St. Pete on Christmas Eve.

12-year-old dies in accidental shooting

FOX 13's Kylie Jones reports on a 12-year-old boy who died hours after an accidental shooting in St. Petersburg, according to police.

St. Pete Police said the 12-year-old’s mom had just stepped out for a moment and did not know where the teen had gotten the gun.

READ: 12-year-old boy dies after accidental shooting, St. Pete police say

"It just is indicative of some of the issues we have in our society, that we have firearms that are so available and the fact that a 12-year-old can come across it," said Assistant Chief Michael Kovachev with SPPD.

The nonprofit group ‘Everytown’ tracks accidental shootings involving children, which skyrocketed to more than 400 in 2023.

In 2024, the organization found there were at least 314 unintentional shootings by children across the country, resulting in 120 deaths and 199 injuries.

‘Everytown’ graphic tracking the rise in accidental shootings involving children in 2023.

"It’s glorified on social media. We see that 15 seconds of fame. We see a young teenager holding a gun up and making himself, you know, want to look cool. And then we see younger kids wanting to emulate that," said Barton.

Lakeland police are also reminding gun owners to be responsible by securing firearms and never to leave firearms in a vehicle.

"We need our parents to step up. The kids are back in school now. Look in their book bags before they go to school. Look in the book bags when they get home, look under (their) pillowcase. Curb (their) curiosity by planning ahead. We need everyone to stay vigilant because we don't want to see more loss of life," said Barton.

When legislators return to Tallahassee in March, Barton tells Fox 13 News he’d like more legislation to hold gun owners responsible if they fail to secure their firearm and then a child is hurt as a result.

The Source: This story was written with information provided by the Lakeland Polcie Department.

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