At a RaceTrac gas station in West Palm Beach, Florida, a 10-year-old boy accidentally discharged a gun, striking his eight-year-old sister in the face. The shooting occurred on a Tuesday morning, December 19, 2023, according to police reports.
The incident occurred while the children, along with two other siblings aged one and two, were left unattended in a car by their mother, who had gone inside the gas station.
The boy discovered a loaded semi-automatic Glock handgun in the car’s center console. During the process of handling the firearm, it discharged, striking his sister in the cheek.
Spokesman Mike Jachles from the West Palm Beach Police Department indicated that the girl was conscious and alert when paramedics from the West Palm Beach Fire Department transported her to St. Mary’s Medical Center. She is expected to fully recover, with the bullet apparently lodged somewhere in the door or frame of the vehicle.
Jachles emphasized the importance of treating every handgun as if it’s loaded and ensuring that they are not accessible to children. The Florida Department of Children and Families, along with the police, are investigating the shooting.
Local residents and child safety advocates have responded to the incident. Mary Christie, a West Palm Beach resident, stressed the need for safe gun storage, especially around children, to prevent such accidents.
Kathy Wall, the director of Safe Kids Palm Beach County, called the incident a “wake-up call” for parents, highlighting the dangers of leaving firearms within reach of children.