Toddler shoots infant to death after finding loaded long gun, police say

An infant was shot to death by a toddler who found a long gun while sitting the back of a car in a parking lot, Texas police say.

Three children were sitting in a silver SUV at the parking lot of the Audie L. Murphy VA Medical Center in San Antonio on Monday afternoon when one of the children found the loaded gun, according to San Antonio Police Chief William McManus. The female adult in the car was waiting for a medical appointment, police said.

‘Police said they had not yet determined the owner of the gun.’

The toddler fired the gun in the backseat, striking the infant who was between 10 and 11 months old, McManus said at a media briefing. Paramedics from the medical center tried to save the child, but they pronounced the infant dead at the scene.

The two other children were aged 2 and 3 years old. Police said they had not yet determined the owner of the gun.

Police initially said the incident was being investigated as a tragic accident, and no charges were being considered, but they later confirmed that they may file criminal negligence charges depending on the outcome of their investigation.

McManus said they had not yet determined the relationship between the female in the car and the three children during the preliminary investigation.

A news video report from KENS-TV showed scenes from the parking lot and can be viewed on YouTube.

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