DETROIT – In the span of two days, two little boys were unintentionally shot on Detroit’s west side.
On Saturday night, a 3-year-old was shot on Monica Street at Elmhurst Street. Just four miles away, a 5-year-old boy was shot on Thursday.
Sadly, children accidentally shooting themselves with unsecured guns has become so prevalent that it can be difficult to differentiate one case from another.
Related: New bill would require gun owners to safely store weapons away from children
The 2-year-old boy accidentally shot himself in the arm with a rifle on Saturday. He was rushed to the hospital and is expected to survive.
The 5-year-old boy was shot in the chest Thursday with a gun that was left under the bed. It is currently unclear if the boy shot himself, or if he was shot by another child who found the gun.
The weapon belonged to the boy’s grandmother, who holds a concealed pistol license (CPL).
“You know, you take classes when you have a concealed weapon,” said CPL holder Marcel Rogers. “It should be concealed, you know.”
Rogers has a degree in criminal justice, and got a CPL a few years ago. He says that responsible gun owners are disappointed with the adults when kids are injured or killed in shootings that are entirely preventable.
“When you are around children, you have to make sure safety is first,” Rogers said. “The gun is far away, locked away, secure.”
In 2021, nine children were shot with unsecured guns in the Detroit area. Only two months into 2022, and five children have been shot so far with unsecured guns -- and one of those children was killed. Police believe it was accidental.
When it comes to the shootings, charges are expected in several cases.
For those who own weapons, gun locks are given away for free at every Detroit police precinct.
Related: Gun safety expert talks about responsible gun ownership