FAIRMOUNT, MN – A tragedy unfolded in Minnesota over the weekend when a 4-year-old child accidentally shot their 2-year-old sibling. The Martin County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The unfortunate event occurred in a vehicle on the 1300 block of 130th Ave, where the older child reportedly found a loaded firearm in the backseat. The authorities were alerted to the incident around 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. At the time of the call, the driver, who was later identified as the children’s parent, was heading towards Fairmount to seek medical help for the injured toddler.
Upon receiving the distress call, deputies rushed to meet the vehicle near the 1800 block of 120th Street. They attempted to provide immediate aid to the child before an air ambulance transported the toddler to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester in order to receive further treatment. The current condition of the child remains unknown as of Tuesday morning.
The Martin County Chief Deputy, Corey Klanderud, confirmed that the parent of the children made the emergency call. However, it remains unclear whether the firearm belonged to the adult present in the vehicle. If any criminal charges are to be filed in relation to the incident, they will be issued by the Martin County Attorney’s Office.
This incident follows a similar case in Florida last month, where a man was charged after a toddler accidentally shot herself with a handgun he had left unattended. The child required surgery to reattach her finger following the incident.