Detroit, MI – A 6-year-old girl is dead after an unsecured handgun discharged inside a parked vehicle Monday afternoon on the city’s east side, according to the Detroit Police Department.
The shooting happened just after Noon in the parking lot of a shopping plaza near the intersection of Gratiot Avenue and Harper Avenue.
Police say five children were left inside a vehicle while their mother went into a nearby restaurant to pick up food. Authorities said there was an unsecured handgun inside the car.
At some point during those moments, the weapon discharged and the 6-year-old girl was struck in the head.
She was rushed to a local hospital along with family members but later died from her injuries.
First Assistant Chief Charles Fitzgerald, visibly shaken during a media briefing, called the situation “horrible” and emphasized that incidents like this are preventable.
“At some point in time one of the kids tried to grab her but it was a little too late,” Fitzgerald said. “One of the kids was shot in the head — unsecured weapon. These things are so preventable.”
Investigators are still working to determine exactly how the gun fired and who handled it inside the vehicle. Police also said they will be reviewing how the weapon was stored and why it was left accessible to children.
Fitzgerald acknowledged the mother is devastated.
“As you can imagine, the mom is a mess,” he said.
The case will be presented to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office once the investigation is complete.
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