FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE) — Fresno Police are investigating the tragic death of a two-year-old in Northwest Fresno.
Officials said the toddler died after shooting himself in the head.
Police said the toddler was rushed to Valley Children’s Hospital where intense life-saving efforts were made.
Neighbors we spoke with said they are just heartbroken over the incident.
“It’s just very tragic to have that happen,” Bob Wittwer, who lives nearby, said.
Police searching the home of where the toddler shot himself was the scene that Wittwer walked out to early Saturday afternoon.
“We were in the backyard and we heard all the police cars show up and came out to see what happened and um then we saw them take the child away in the ambulance,” he said.
Police said the shooting happened on Saturday afternoon, just before one o’clock, in the 300 block of West Audubon Drive, near Churchill Avenue.
Detectives are intensely investigating what exactly happened.
“On their arrival they did locate approximately a two-year-old child that had in fact sustained a gunshot wound to the head,” Lt. Rob Beckwith with Fresno Police said.
Beckwith said at the time of the shooting there were two adults inside the home with the toddler but neither one were the parents.
“The parents were I believe one was at work and not sure of the whereabouts of the other,” he said.
Fresno Police confirmed the toddler passed away around 6 p.m. Saturday night.
It’s unclear who the gun belonged to or how the toddler got his hands on what police say was a pistol.
Wittwer, a gun owner himself and great grandfather to a two-year-old as well, said as tragic as this is, it’s why he’s always made sure to follow the law and keep his guns out of reach.
“They’re stored away so they’re not accessible by anybody especially even if our grandchildren come over to visit they can’t get to them so which is the proper thing to do with them,” he said.
Police said by law gun owners are required to have guns locked and out of reach.
Detectives are investigating how the toddler was able to come into contact with the firearm and will determine if anyone will face criminal charges.