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Child dead in accidental shooting outside Bartow Burger King | FULL
A 3-year-old child was killed Thursday night after he grabbed a gun and accidentally shot himself in the face, while his dad was attempting to pay for a meal at a Burger King restaurant in Bartow, Florida, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. The boy was set to turn four in four days, he said.
BARTOW, Fla. - A 3-year-old boy died Thursday evening after shooting himself in the face with a handgun inside a vehicle at a Burger King in Bartow, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Judd said detectives believe the boy grabbed the gun while the dad was attempting to pay for dinner.
Sheriff: Child grabbed the gun as dad was attempting to pay for meal at Burger King
What we know:
According to Sheriff Grady Judd, a family that moved from Connecticut four months ago was attempting to buy dinner at a drive-thru when their credit card declined. Deputies said the father grew distracted while searching for another way to pay.
PCSO said as he bent over to check his card, he removed a Glock handgun from his waistband and placed it on the vehicle seat.
Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office
The 3-year-old child, who was playing in the backseat, grabbed the firearm and pulled the trigger, according to deputies.
Officials said the father heard a loud pop before frantically running around the vehicle, while a bystander called 911. First responders transported the child to the hospital where doctors pronounced him dead at 7:30 p.m.
During a press conference on Thursday night, Sheriff Grady Judd said the young boy's fourth birthday was in four days.
What they're saying:
"We also know, at least from the initial info, that we can see where there is a bullet hole directly through the roof, and the child shot in the face. So, subjectively, and it's totally subjective at this point in the investigation, we think dad took the gun out, laid it down, he doesn't remember where, he's still in a state of shock, and while he's trying to figure out how to pay for dinner on the credit card, the child obviously sees the gun, picks it up, is playing with it, and shoots himself in the face," Sheriff Judd said.
"This is a horrible tragedy, and that's all the indication we see at this point and time," he said.
"This is an absolute tragedy. There is going to be a family without a son tonight, without a nephew, without a cousin. There's going to be a mom and dad that are going to try and pick up the shambles of this horrific event, and in the end, the community itself is hurting. Any death is tragic. A kid who is about to turn 4 is almost unconscionable to me," said Bartow Deputy Chief Kyle Dowdy. "We are grieving with the family."
"My officers are having a tough time with this one. They're in the middle right now of a debrief; they're struggling," he said.
Could the parents be charged?
What we don't know:
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and Bartow Deputy Chief Kyle Dowdy both said the situation appears to be a tragedy. Judd said there is a Florida Statute of culpable negligence that is a third-degree felony if a child gets a firearm and hurts himself or someone else. However, he said that decision would ultimately be up to the Florida State Attorney's Office to decide whether to file formal charges or not.
"Quite frankly, if the investigations concludes, according to what we see now, certainly we would not have any energy at all for suggestive criminal charges," he said.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from official statements released the Polk County Sheriff's Office.