China News Service, July 16. Comprehensive US media reported on the 16th that the Arkansas state police said that a 5-year-old boy shot and killed his 8-year-old brother a few days ago. Investigators believe it was an accident.
According to reports, the local police said that judging from the situation at the scene, the child's mother may have been sleeping at the time, and the 8-year-old child was found lying on the ground after hearing gunshots.
After receiving the report, the police rushed to the house where the incident occurred and found that the 8-year-old child had no response and was pronounced dead at the scene by the forensic doctor.
Local Sheriff Lafayette Woods Jr emphasized: "This is an avoidable tragedy. Guns need to be kept safe and children should not be held in their hands at any time."
Prosecutors are determining whether any criminal charges will be brought.
The 5-year-old boy and four other siblings will be in the custody of relatives while the child's parents are under investigation.
There have been at least 126 accidental shootings of children in the U.S. this year, killing 55 people, according to the nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety.