Georgia 2-Year-Old Fires Mom's Gun, Injuring Sister At Chinese Buffet

NEWNAN, GA — A 2-year-old Georgia boy accidentally injured his sister Sunday after firing his mother's handgun while the family ate together in a restaurant.

Police officers in Newnan — about 40 miles southwest of Atlanta — were called at about 2:17 p.m. to Number One China Buffet, a restaurant at 1731 Newnan Crossing Blvd.

They found an 11-year-old girl who had reportedly been shot in the right thigh.

The girl was taken to an Atlanta area children's hospital for treatment of her injuries. At the hospital, staff determined that she had actually been struck by a machine screw, not a projectile from a firearm.

Investigators were able to confirm that the screw came from the bottom of a holster, which contained a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun.

They say the victim's 2-year-old brother found the handgun inside his mother's purse, which was sitting in a booth. According to the mother, it had originally been placed inside a zipped compartment inside the purse.

The child was able to remove the handgun and pull the trigger while the gun was still inside the holster, firing a single round, police said in a news release.

Police recovered the projectile, shell casing, holster and handgun at the scene.

The victim remained in the hospital on Tuesday, listed in stable condition.

The case remains under investigation, and no charges had been filed as of Tuesday morning, police said.

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