A three-year-old child shot and killed their one-year-old sister Monday in Fallbrook, California, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.
Deputies responded to a call at a residence in the Fallbrook area, where they confirmed the three-year-old had gained access to an “unsecured handgun” and shot their sister, according to a death investigation report from the sheriff’s department. Investigators determined the one-year-old suffered a head wound from the gunshot. Fire department personnel transported her to Palomar Hospital where she was pronounced dead at roughly 8:30 a.m., according to the report.
“The Sheriff’s Department extends our sympathies to the family and those affected by this death,” the report reads. “Sheriff’s Homicide investigators are working to gather more information to determine the circumstances of the death.”
A one-year-old girl has been shot and killed by her three-year-old sibling in California.
The incident was reported at 7.30am local time on Monday when the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department received a call about a shooting at a home in Fallbrook, about 56 miles north of San… pic.twitter.com/dvsyQNcLoA
— Morbid Knowledge (@Morbidful) July 18, 2023
The children’s names are being withheld in the interest of respecting the family and due to their young age. The investigation is ongoing, according to the sheriff’s department. An autopsy will be performed to determine a precise cause of death, FOX 5 San Diego reported. (RELATED: 7-Year-Old Shoots And Kills 5-Year-Old Sibling)
“There are no outstanding suspects and there is no threat to the community,” the report continued.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact the department’s homicide unit, or to call Crime Stoppers in order to remain anonymous.