Child, 3, Accidentally Shoots Self, Gun Owner Under Investigation: Reports

A Michigan child was reportedly taken to the hospital after accidentally shooting themselves this weekend.

The Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) responded to a call regarding a shooting on the 700 block of Sinclair Avenue around 12 p.m. local time on Saturday, Jan. 18, according to local outlets, including ABC affiliate WZZM, NBC affiliate WOOD and FOX affiliate WXMI.

After arriving on the scene, authorities determined via a preliminary investigation that the 3-year-old sustained an “accidentally self-inflicted injury,” the outlets reported, citing a release from the GRPD.

The child was transported to a local hospital and is being treated for injuries that are considered serious but not life-threatening.

The GRPD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for more information on Sunday, Jan. 19.

The owner of the firearm has since cooperated with investigators as a safe storage investigation is underway.

As WOOD reported, Michigan’s secure storage law, Public Act 17 of 2023, requires those with unattended weapons to keep them “unloaded and locked with a locking device” or “stored in a locked box or container if it is reasonably known that a minor is likely to be present on the premises.”

Elizabeth Hertel, director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, said in a news release at the time that the department wanted to make sure residents were aware of the law, which was “designed to prevent unintentional deaths involving guns and how to comply with the new requirements.”

Per the release, if a person fails to store a gun correctly and a minor “discharges the firearm and injures themselves or another individual,” it could be punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both. Larger fines and longer prison sentences are possible depending on injury or death.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said at the time that she was “proud that our state has finally implemented new commonsense gun safety measures” and was “committed to using the resources of my office to educate residents about the new measures and support our communities through implementation.”

According to December 2023 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as noted in the Michigan news release, roughly two-thirds or 67% of unintentional firearm injury deaths among children took place when they were “playing with or showing the firearm to others when it discharged.”

Other apparent self-inflicted shooting injuries among children in the past year occurred in New Jersey, Sacramento, Missouri and Charlotte, among other places.

Anyone with additional information about the Jan. 18 incident are being asked to contact the Grand Rapids Police Department or Silent Observer.

For more information on safe firearm storage and the most effective ways to protect children from unsecured firearms, visit BeSMARTforkids.org.