Another incident of gun violence has been reported by authorities; this time involving a minor from Mississippi. The suspect, a 9-year-old boy, reportedly shot his 13-year-old sister in the head, causing her death.
Authorities confirmed Sunday that the boy, whose name has been withheld, had a fight with her sister over a video game controller, WTVA reported. Apparently, the teenager, identified as Dijonae White, was playing with the console game when the young suspect approached her, asking for the controller.
However, she allegedly refused to hand it over, sparking the heated argument. According to Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell, the boy reached out for a 0.25 caliber handgun and shot his sister in the back of the head.
The victim was rushed to the Le Bonheur’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, where doctors confirmed that the bullet penetrated her brain, ending her life, the Washington Post reported.
It remains unclear how the young suspect got access to the firearm. Authorities revealed that the children’s mother was in another room feeding their other siblings when the incident took place.
Meanwhile, Cantrell expressed shock about the incident, claiming that this is the first time they ever dealt with a shooting incident involving a kid.
BREAKING: A teenage girl is rushed to the hospital after her younger brother shot her in the head over a video game argument.
The incident happened Saturday afternoon. Monroe County deputies are investigating. | https://t.co/WLKXD7VmsQ pic.twitter.com/4dfj0EAcen
— WTVA 9 News (@wtva9news) March 18, 2018
Although the circumstances of the shooting are still being investigated, Cantrell assumed that the boy has seen such violence on video games or TV.
So far, it remains unclear if there will be charges filed against the boy considering his age. His parents have yet to release a statement as well.
This is not the first time that a child got access to a firearm. Earlier this month, an 8-year-old boy obtained a rifle and shot his 4-year-old sister multiple times. The victim was rushed to the hospital, where she was treated for gunshot wounds.
In another incident, a 3-year-old girl shot herself with her father’s gun. Apparently, the toddler managed to access the firearm inside one of the bedrooms of the house. The child’s father was later arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering another person.
Then in February, a seventh-grader was the victim of a self-inflicted a gunshot wound inside his middle school’s bathroom. Apparently, the young boy arrived at school by bus and went directly to the bathroom where he took out a 0.22 caliber rifle and shot himself.
