A 6-year-old child landed in the hospital Wednesday night after a bullet pierced an upstairs floor, striking a child located in the room below.
Arlington police responded to a local hospital just after 7 p.m. when staff reported the child arriving with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the leg. The incident took place at a residence in the 2300 block of Quail Run Road.
Investigators determined that a firearm was discharged upstairs, with the round traveling through the floor into the room where the child was located. A family member drove the victim to the emergency room.
Authorities have withheld the victim’s identity because of the child’s age. No arrests have occurred as detectives continue piecing together who owned the gun and the reason it fired.
The Arlington Police Department posted a gun safety announcement on its social media page on Thursday, reminding families that “keeping children safe starts at home.”
“If you have a firearm in your home, taking a few simple safety steps can help prevent tragic accidents. Safe storage is one of the most important ways to protect children and prevent unauthorized access,” the safety message reads.
Parents and guardians are reminded to store firearms unloaded and locked in a secure location using trigger locks, cable locks, or a gun safe, and always keep ammunition stored separately from firearms.
“Children are naturally curious, and simply hiding a firearm is not enough. Firearms should always be secured and kept out of reach of children,” the message advises.“Talk with children about what to do if they ever see a gun: Stop. Don’t touch. Leave the area. Tell an adult.”
Gun owners can stop by the Arlington police station and request a free gun lock.
