Boy, 3, Dies After Accidentally Shooting Self With Father’s Gun: Polk Sheriff

A 3-year-old boy died after accidentally shooting himself with his father's gun in a car at a Bartow Burger King, Polk County sheriff said.

By Tiffany Razzano, Patch Staff

Oct 23, 2026 11:49 AM EDT

BARTOW, FL — A 3-year-old boy who was four days away from his fourth birthday died Tuesday evening after picking up a firearm his father had placed inside their vehicle while at a Bartow Burger King and accidentally shooting himself, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said during a news conference.

The shooting happened just before 6:30 p.m. at the Burger King in the 100 block of Van Fleet Drive in Bartow.

The boy's father had pulled into the restaurant's drive-through to order dinner but encountered problems paying with his credit card, Judd said. The family had recently moved to Florida from Connecticut, and the father had experienced similar payment issues previously.

While trying to resolve the problem, the father removed a Glock handgun from his waistband because it was uncomfortable as he leaned forward, the sheriff said. He placed the firearm somewhere inside the vehicle and continued working on the payment issue.

The child was in the back seat when the father heard a gunshot, according to the preliminary investigation.

Surveillance video showed the father jumping out of the vehicle and frantically running around it. A woman in a nearby vehicle also got out and called 911, Judd said.

The child suffered a severe gunshot wound to the face. Investigators also observed a bullet hole through the roof of the vehicle, the sheriff said.

Bartow police officers responded within minutes and began life-saving measures, Deputy Chief Kyle Dowdy said. The child was transported to Lakeland Regional Health, where he was pronounced dead at about 7:30 p.m.

"This is an absolute tragedy," Dowdy said.

Judd said the father was distraught and cooperating with investigators. He had a concealed-weapons permit and no criminal history, the sheriff added.

The investigation is ongoing, with detectives from the Polk County Sheriff's Office homicide team working alongside Bartow police. Investigators will submit their findings to the State Attorney's Office for review.

Florida law includes a provision making it a third-degree felony in certain circumstances when a child gains access to a firearm and injures themselves or another person. Judd said authorities must wait at least seven days before taking any legal action under the provision and must consult with the State Attorney's Office.

Based on preliminary findings, Judd said he doesn't expect to recommend criminal charges unless investigators uncover additional information, though prosecutors will make the final decision.