Woman accidentally kills juvenile after firing gun inside Coconut Reef home
PEMBROKE PINES – Residents in the Pembroke Pines neighborhood of Coconut Reef are shaken up after an accidental shooting rocks their community.
"It's just unbelievable, a tragedy is what it is, a family is destroyed forever," said a neighbor, who did not want to be identified.
According to police, around 6:30 p.m. Saturday, an adult female was handling a firearm inside a home near intersection of 180 Avenue and SW 12 Street when a weapon accidentally discharged, striking a juvenile victim.
"I came home probably about 10 minutes after it happened, everything was already full of about 20 police officers and fire truck parked on my grass. They had already taken him and I heard that they were really struggling with him before they put him in the ambulance," added the neighbor.
The child, whose age has not been released, succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
Officials say both the victim and the shooter are family member and they stress the firearm was discharged unintentionally, due to negligence and mishandling.
"They've been in my prayers since last night, it's just devastating," the neighbor went on.
No word on the charges the woman faces, but police said they would be forwarded to the Broward State Attorney's Office at the conclusion of the investigation.
They also say residents should use this situations as a reminder to educate themselves on safely handling and securing firearms at all times.
