3-Year-Old Fatally Shot At Columbia Home With Unsecured Gun: Howard County Police

COLUMBIA, MD — A 3-year-old boy was fatally shot inside a home located on Harpers Farm Road July 1. Police believe the shooting was accidental.

Detectives have determined that a handgun was unsecured inside the residence, according to the police department. Police are still working to determine if the gunshot was self-inflicted or fired by another person at the home. The child's 5-year-old brother and parents were home at the time of the fatal shooting. They do not believe anyone else was involved and do not see any indications of foul play, the police department stated.

"This is a really tragic story," Sherry Llewellyn, director of public affairs and media relations for the Howard County Police Department, told WBAL. "We received information from the hospital around 11:30 last night that parents had brought in their 3-year-old child, who was suffering from a gunshot wound and later died at the hospital."

While no charges have been filed at this time, the investigation is ongoing. Additional information will be released as it becomes available, the police department stated.