A ten-year-old boy accidentally shot his sister in the face while they sat in an unattended car in a Florida gas station parking lot Tuesday morning, police said.
West Palm Beach Police said the accidental shooting happened at a RaceTrac gas station after the boy found a loaded semi-automatic Glock handgun in the car’s center console, WPTV reported.
The boy told police the gun accidentally fired, hitting his 8-year-old sister in the face, according to the outlet.
“She was conscious and alert. She was taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center by the West Palm Beach Fire Department paramedics,” West Palm Beach Police Department spokesman Mike Jachles stated. He added, “The bullet is apparently lodged somewhere in the door or frame of the vehicle.” (RELATED: Father Accidentally Shoots 4-Year-Old Son In The Head, Police Say)
Jachles said that the girl was taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center and is expected to survive, WPTV reported.
The mother reportedly left four children, all between the ages of one and 10, unattended in the car when she went into the gas station, WPTV reported.
“I see it too often with these kids getting hold of these guns. This shouldn’t even have to be said, the gun should have been put away safely,” West Palm Beach resident Mary Christie told CBS12 NEWS. “Let’s put the guns away safely and keep them away from the kids. An accident could happen any minute like this. This could have been a deadly accident.”
“Every handgun comes with responsible ownership,” Jachles said. “Every handgun should be treated as if it’s loaded.”
Jachles said that child services had been notified, but it’s too early to determine if the mother will face charges, according to WPTV.
The West Palm Beach Police Department did not immediately return a Daily Caller request for an update on this story.