Teen in custody after 3-year-old brother makes use of his gun to shoot himself in Detroit residence

DETROIT – A 16-year-old boy is in police custody Thursday after he is accused of leaving a loaded weapon on a bed that his toddler brother used to shoot himself in their Detroit home.

According to Detroit police, at about 2:50 am Thursday, a 3-year-old boy shot himself in the head in a home on Alameda Street, in the area of ​​8 Mile and John R roads. The child suffered a grace wound, and was reportedly taken to the hospital and listed in stable condition.

The toddler is said to share a bedroom with his 16-year-old brother. Police say the teenage boy left a loaded gun on the bed in the bedroom and went to the living room to sleep on the couch. The 3-year-old then reportedly got ahold of the gun and started playing with it, shooting himself.

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Officials say the family found the child bleeding with the gun next to him. The child’s mother, father and brother were in the home at the time of the incident, the police said.

The 16-year-old boy is said to have grabbed the gun after the shooting, apologized to his father and then fled on foot with the weapon. Police have reportedly located the teen who is now in police custody.

It is currently unclear what, if any, charges the 16-year-old will be facing. His identity has not been released.

Officials say the teen has had a history of behavioral issues, and was just allowed back into his home.

No other details have been provided at this time.

A 3-year-old boy shot himself early Thursday morning after finding a gun that was left on a bed in his Detroit home, police said.

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