A 10-year-old boy from Philadelphia is alive today thanks to two police officers who reportedly saved his life after he accidentally shot himself in the face with his father's handgun. Cops responded to a call at 10:20 p.m. Saturday night and found the child and his sister in a black SUV in the parking lot of an auto repair shop, where they were reportedly waiting for their father to get off of work.
Officers say the boy and his sister were dropped off by their mom at the auto shop and were waiting in the car when the tween found his father's .357 magnum and accidentally shot himself in the jaw. The exit wound was reportedly on the back of his head, according to a police chief. The boy's sister allegedly ran into their father's shop to tell him that her brother had just shot himself.
The boy was apparently "lifeless" when he was discovered, and the two police officers worked together to make sure he got the medical attention he needed before it was too late. While one officer drove, the other performed CPR on the child and was able to revive him before they reached a local hospital. From there, he was transported to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where he has been listed in guarded but stable condition.
Detectives are still investigating this incident and charges may be brought up against the child's father, though few details have been released regarding the gun owner and whether he had a permit for his weapon.
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It's frightening to think how close this child came to death. Parents who own guns need to keep them far, far away from their children -- and it was careless for both of these parents to allow their children to sit in a car alone with a loaded weapon. Wishing this little boy a speedy recovery.
Do you think this father deserves to be charged for allowing his kids to sit in his car alone with a loaded gun?
Image via Greta Ceresini/Flickr