2-year-old girl killed in unintentional shooting in Columbus, Ohio, police say
A 2-year-old girl was killed in a "non-intentional shooting" at a home in Columbus, Ohio, police said.
The Columbus Division of Police said in a news release that Va'Nyiah Mason was fatally shot in a home on East Long Street on Monday night. Officers were called to the home around 8:30 p.m. for a reported shooting and found the girl suffering from a gunshot wound. Columbus police said the 2-year-old girl was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
In the news release, investigators said the preliminary investigation found that it was a "non-intentional shooting between persons inside the residence." Police said detectives are investigating how the firearm involved was accessed.
As of Tuesday evening, no charges have been filed in the case. Police are investigating. Anyone with information can call Columbus Police Detective Kindler at 614-645-3750, the department's Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477.
Detective Kindler is the lead detective on the case and is being assisted by Detective Yoder, Columbus police said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unintentional injury is the leading cause of death among children and adolescents aged 1 to 17 years old. Firearms are a leading cause of injury, and approximately one-half of unintentional firearm deaths among children and adolescents occur at their home, the CDC added.
"Unintentional firearm injury deaths of children are preventable," a report from the CDC said.