It's a tragedy that plays out too often, not only in Detroit but around the country: Curious children find an unsecured, loaded gun and one ends up dead.
An unsecured gun, a dead child (Fox 2 video)
It happened Tuesday afternoon on the city's east side, after three pre-teens found a loaded gun in a house with no adults present. The boy who was shot was 12, and the incident happened in front of his own twin brother and a 13-year-old cousin, whom they were visiting.
Police say they were alone, there were no adults, and somehow, had access to the gun.
Gerald Ussery lives two doors down and was out back at the time.
"I heard the gunfire. which I thought might have been fireworks," he said. "Then it was tragic man. I saw the kids earlier walking down the street. It’s so tragic."
By the time police arrived, nothing could be done to save the boy.
This is the latest violent incident involving children in recent days. Last Thursday, a 2-year-old boy died in what police are calling a case of mistaken identity, after his parents' pickup truck was fired upon. His brother, 9, was wounded. And on Monday, a 9-month-old infant was found alive in a house where both his parents had been bound, gagged and executed.
Police say trigger locks for firearms are available, free, at any Detroit police precinct.
