Columbia Police Department (CPD) officers with the Special Victims Unit (SVU) continue to investigate a shooting incident that critically injured a 3-year-old boy yesterday afternoon.
The incident happened shortly before 5:00 p.m. at the 6600 block of Bailey Street, the Colony Apartments. When officers arrived on scene, they found the unresponsive child suffering from a gunshot wound and his mother. EMS was also on scene and took the child to a local hospital.
At last check, medical staff advised that the child has undergone surgery for a gunshot wound to the head and remains in critical condition but continues to show signs of improvement.
Based on preliminary information, SVU investigators believe the child gained access to a loaded firearm in a bedroom of the apartment causing the gun to discharge.
Officers have recovered the gun and are working to determine its origin and how it came to be in the residence unsecured.
At this time, the 22-year-old mother and child were the only people inside the residence at the time of the shooting, and there is no evidence that a third party was involved in the incident.
The mother has been cooperative with investigators.
CPD will present the investigative findings to the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office for review. The case is on-going.
CPD officers would like to remind citizens about safe firearm storage.
- Firearms should be stored in a locked cabinet, safe, gun vault or storage case. The storage location should be inaccessible to children.
- Use a gun locking device to render firearms inoperable. ** CPD offers free gunlocks at Headquarters and every regional office, and are passed out at community meetings. **
- Ammunition should be stored in a locked location separate from firearms.