A two-year-old boy in Gary, Indiana, died after being accidentally shot by his three-year-old brother. The incident occurred on November 17, 2023, in the family’s home on the 2100 block of Georgia Street.

At around 7:20 pm, Gary Police were alerted to the situation and rushed to Northlake Methodist Hospital, where they found a young boy had died from a gunshot wound to the head. 

According to the police, the child’s mother reported that her older son found the loaded gun in her purse when she momentarily left the bedroom.

Commander Samuel Roberts of the Gary Police Department detailed the mother’s account, emphasizing the ongoing investigation led by the Lake County Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force. No charges have been filed yet.

In 2022, Indiana witnessed five similar tragedies where children inadvertently accessed unsecured firearms, leading to fatal outcomes. Such incidents have spurred law enforcement officials and community activists alike to advocate strenuously for the secure storage of firearms. 

In response to this latest incident, community activist Andrew Holmes took to the streets, distributing gun locks in the affected neighborhood.

Indiana’s gun laws, which do not mandate a permit for carrying firearms, add another layer of complexity to ensuring community safety. Local authorities, including the Gary Police Department, are encouraging residents to secure firearms in lock boxes or use gun locks, a precaution that could prevent future tragedies.

Gary’s Mayor, Jerome Prince, and Police Chief, Anthony Titus, released a joint statement expressing their deep condolences to the family.