ST. LOUIS, MO – A horrifying incident unfolded in the early hours of Tuesday morning when a 4-year-old girl was fatally shot in what authorities are considering an accidental shooting in the Baden neighborhood of north St. Louis. The incident reportedly took place while several children, all under 10 years old, were alone in a home with no adult supervision.
Officers were dispatched from the St. Louis Police Department in response to a distress call from the Thrush block where they discovered a critically injured little girl. Police spokesperson Mitch McCoy explained that the officers took swift action, using their own patrol vehicle to transport the child to the hospital while performing CPR en route. Despite their efforts, the girl sadly did not survive her injuries. McCoy did not release the name of the victim.
Early information in the investigation suggests that one of the children in the home found a gun and unintentionally discharged it, fatally wounding the four-year-old. It was also reported that it was one of the children in the home who made the 911 call.
“This is a tragedy. We are heartbroken,” McCoy expressed, reflecting on the devastating circumstances faced by the officers who arrived on the scene and tried to save the child’s life.
According to McCoy, another child had suffered a facial abrasion, the relation of which to the shooting is presently unclear. The investigation into this heartbreaking incident continues.