HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — A 2-year-old from Hampton died Tuesday after police said she found a loaded gun and shot herself.
Police announced in a tweet at 3:31 p.m. that they were called to a home in the 500 block of Marcella Road, between Coliseum Drive and I-64, for the report of the shooting.
Officers found the 2-year-old victim with a single gunshot wound at the scene, and she died at the hospital from her injuries.
At this time no charges in the case have been announced, but Hampton PD’s Major Crimes Unit investigated the scene. Police haven’t said how they believe the child got the gun or whether anyone else was home at the time.
10 On Your Side spoke with neighbors who said they’re heartbroken by what happened. They didn’t know the family very well, but have seen them in passing.
“I’m sure we’ve run into them a couple of times. It’s really sad,” said Alex Jung, who lives a few doors down.
It was a solemn night for those renting at the Bridgewater at Town Center Apartments. Jung found out what happened from a news alert while he was still at work.
“The first thing that went through my head was, is it near my apartment and exactly how was that possible,” Jung said.
Jung said he arrived home to find yellow tape blocking the entrance to his building, two police cruisers and a forensic unit. He hopes the tragedy is a wake-up call to gun owners to responsibly secure their firearm.
“At the end of the day we want to be protected, we want to protect our family,” Jung said, “And we can’t do that if it’s causing harm to our family.”