Detroit police investigating accidental shooting that critically injured 2-year-old

A 2-year-old child was in critical condition at an area hospital on Tuesday morning after being injured by an unsecured gun at home, Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison said. 

In response to yet another case of a child injured unintentionally by a weapon, the police chief said he will launch a series of community safety forums to support a gun lock distribution effort that already exists. 

"It's another case of an unsecured firearm in a residence," he said about two hours after the incident. 

Detroit police got the call about 8:11 a.m. Tuesday from a home on Evergreen Road on Detroit's west side. Officers learned that the mother of the family was in the kitchen, making breakfast, when she heard a loud pop. A 2-year-old child was struck by the gunfire. A 4-year-old child who was also in the area was not injured, Bettison said. 

At the time of the police chief's remarks, the father was at the hospital with the 2-year-old. 

The weapon was registered to the child's mother. She did not have a concealed pistol license, the chief said, adding that she was not required to have one if the weapon was in her home. 

Bettison said gun locks are available on request at many locations in the community, including the Detroit Police Department Sixth Precinct office, which serves that neighborhood. He said people might think that a weapon is secure if it is in a purse or bag, or tucked on a shelf, but that's not always the situation, because a weapon might still be triggered and fire unintentionally. 

"I can't police inside your house," he said. 

He did say the police department will develop a plan to host community safety forums that teach area residents who wish to keep a firearm in the home how to do so safely. 

The investigation is continuing, as police have not determined exactly how the weapon was found and accessed. 

Michigan's Secure Storage Law requires gun owners to keep unattended weapons unloaded and locked, or stored in a locked box or container, if it is "reasonably known" that a minor is likely to be present in the area. A gun lock distribution map is available on the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services website that shows when and where to request such a device.