2-year-old boy killed after accidentally shooting himself in chest

Published May 03, 2016

A two-year-old boy is dead after accidentally shooting himself in the chest with a gun he found inside the glove compartment of his parents' car.

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said Kaleb Ahles' parents were distracted because they were moving out of their home that Wednesday.

“[Kaleb] had entered the vehicle at some point as the family was loading the vehicle to move out of the house,” the sheriff's office said in a media release.

The family heard a popping noise and immediately rushed out to perform CPR on the child, MyFoxTampaBay.com reports.

The boy was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Investigators determined the parents had taken "reasonable steps" to secure the firearm.

"I don't think anybody can punish these parents any more than what they've been punished," Gualtieri said. "This is something they will carry with them and live with the rest of their lives."

The sheriff said it was apparent the boy pulled the trigger himself because the shell casing was not completely ejected, which would be consistent for someone who has a weak wrist.

Gualtieri also said family members all told consistent stories about where the gun was and how it could have gotten into the boy's hands.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/us/2-year-old-boy-killed-after-accidentally-shooting-himself-in-chest