A 5-year-old boy killed his 8-year-old brother in Arkansas in what investigators believe was an accident involving an uninsured firearm.
The 8-year-old boy was found unresponsive Thursday followingnoon at a home in Pine Bluff, 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Little Rock, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
“This is a tragic incident that was preventable. I cannot stress enough that firearms must be secured and kept out of the reach of children at all times,” said Commissioner Lafayette Woods Jr. “Gun owners who do not properly secure their firearms are tenths of second that a tragedy like this happens in your home.”
Investigators believe it was an accident, the sheriff’s office said.
Woods told the Pine Bluff Commercial that the 5-year-old boy and his four siblings are in the care of a relative while the investigation is ongoing.
The sheriff said authorities are yet to determine whether a criminal charge should be filed.