5-year-old accidentally shoots, kills 8-year-old brother, Arkansas sheriff says

A 5-year-old accidentally shot and killed his 8-year-old brother, according to Arkansas authorities.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release it responded to a call about a shooting at 2 p.m. on Thursday, July 14.

When deputies arrived, they found the 8-year-old boy unresponsive after being accidentally shot by his younger brother. The boy died at the scene, the release said.

“This is a tragic incident that could have been avoided,” Jefferson County Sheriff Lafayette Woods, Jr. said in a news release. “I can’t emphasize strongly enough that guns need to be well secured and kept out of the hands and away from children at all times.“

“Gun owners that do not properly secure their firearms are just one split second away from one of these tragedies happening in their home,” Woods said.

Everytown, a nonprofit for gun safety, provides three steps for responsible gun storage: “unload, lock, and separate.” The organization says to “assume children and teens can find guns. Store firearms unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment recommends that firearms be stored “out of sight” and in “safe storage devices” like a “safe, lock box, trigger lock, or chamber lock.”

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that firearms were the leading cause of death for children ages one year or older in 2020, surpassing motor vehicle crashes.

Jefferson County is about 50 miles southeast of Little Rock.

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