DETROIT — A two-year-old child remains in critical condition at a local hospital on Tuesday morning after being shot inside a home located on Detroit’s west side, as WDIV ClickOnDetroit reported.
The shooting took place at a residence in the vicinity of Evergreen Road and Interstate 96. Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison spoke outside the home shortly before 10 a.m. to address the community regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident. Bettison characterized the event as a tragic situation that highlights the ongoing danger of unfastened weapons inside family homes, describing it as another case of an unsecured firearm inside of a residence.
At the time the gun went off, the child's mother was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. She informed authorities that she heard a loud pop sound coming from another area of the house. Upon hearing the noise, she immediately investigated and found that her two-year-old child had suffered a gunshot wound. A four-year-old sibling was also present inside the home when the weapon discharged. That child was not injured during the incident.
During his briefing, Bettison did not state whether the two-year-old child accidentally fired the gun or if another person inside the house discharged the weapon. The precise timeline and sequence of events leading up to the gunfire remain under active investigation by the Detroit Police Department.
Speaking to gathered media, Bettison emphasized that gun owners bear full legal and moral responsibility for ensuring their weapons are kept safe and out of reach of children. He noted that law enforcement officers cannot monitor the private interior of every residence in the city. Consequently, the burden of safety rests entirely on adult residents, household members, concealed pistol license holders, and gun owners.
Bettison told WDIV ClickOnDetroit that casual storage methods fall short of adequate protection. He stressed that simply placing a gun inside a handbag or setting it on a high shelf does not meet safety standards. He warned that parents who fail to properly lock up their firearms will be held accountable by authorities if an unsecured gun leads to an injury or tragedy.
As of Tuesday morning, investigators are continuing their work at the scene to piece together the facts of the case. No individuals have been taken into custody in connection with the shooting while police conduct their preliminary inquiries and gather evidence from the home.
Addressing the young victim's medical status, Chief Bettison indicated that medical professionals believe the two-year-old child is likely to survive the gunshot wound. However, he emphasized that the incident inflicts severe physical and emotional trauma on the young child and the surrounding family.
To help prevent similar incidents across the city, Bettison pointed out that free safety equipment is readily accessible to Detroit residents. Gun locks are available through multiple channels in the city, including directly from local police facilities. Residents seeking to secure firearms in their homes can visit the Detroit Police Department's 6th Precinct to obtain a lock free of charge.
The investigation into the gunfire near Evergreen Road and Interstate 96 remains open and ongoing as detectives continue to review the evidence.
