3-Year-Old Oregon Boy Dies After Accidentally Shooting Himself with Gun

A three-year-old Oregon boy dies after accidentally shooting himself with a gun. According to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, the boy found the handgun from a drawer in an end table in the bedroom. 

At 9:49 PM on Friday, October 9, the deputies responded after learning about the tragic shooting incident. James Kenneth Lindquester shot himself in the head after retrieving the handgun from the bedroom. His family called 911 and reported what had happened. 

The fire and rescue department and local law enforcement tried to save the little boy's life. Later, they took Lindquester to a nearby hospital, but shortly before midnight, he was pronounced dead. 

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Worst Kind of 911 Call

Shannon Wilde, Washington County Deputy, told the local station KATU that the death of a child is the worst call they could get if you ask any first responder. She explained that many of them are parents themselves, so it is tough hearing such kinds of incidents. 

She said that even though they see a lot of horrible things, seeing a child in that kind of situation is the worst. She also stated that some people have children as young as Lindquester, so it is tough for them. 

The Washington County Sheriff's Office is still doing an investigation about the death incident of the little boy. 

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(Photo: Facebook/Olga Herron)
A three-year-old Oregon boy, James Kenneth Lindquester, dies after accidentally shooting himself with a handgun he found in the bedroom.

A Third of US Homes Have Guns

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, about one-third of U.S. homes with kids have guns that are loaded or unlocked. It said that even "young toddlers" could pull the trigger on a handgun, as is in Lindquester's case.

Unfortunately, there were 241 accidental shootings by children reported in 2019. Such shootings have led to over 100 deaths and nearly 150 injuries. 

It would be safest for homes with children to have no guns, based on the advice of the AAP. If a gun is necessary, parents are advised to observe proper precautions, although research reveals that if families decide to keep guns at home, it is not enough to teach kids about gun safety nor tell them not to touch guns. 

Keep Guns in Safe Storage

The AAP recommends that adults keep guns in safe storage, which means that they should be locked and unloaded. They should keep ammunition locked up in a different place. Adults should also not keep loaded and unlocked guns in the car. 

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The safety catch should be in place when the gun is in use until the shooter is ready to fire. Before setting the gun down, the shooter should always unload the device. The AAP also discourages parents from letting their children shoot guns to avoid any untoward incidents from occurring.