2-year-old boy dies in accidental shooting in Ohio, officials say
A 2-year-old boy in Defiance County, Ohio, died in an accidental shooting, authorities said.
In a joint statement posted to Facebook on Tuesday, the Defiance County Sheriff's Office and the Defiance County Prosecutor's Office said the boy died in an accidental shooting on Saturday. The 2-year-old has not been identified as of Tuesday night.
Authorities said law enforcement was called to a home on Buckskin Road in Hicksville Township on Saturday around noon for reports of a child with a gunshot wound. At the scene, first responders found a boy suffering from a "critical gunshot wound," according to the news release. First aid was performed on the boy, who was then taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The news release said the accidental shooting happened after children gained access to an unsecured and loaded firearm. Authorities added that adult family members were present at the home when the shooting happened. They are cooperating with the investigation. It was not immediately known who the gun belonged to or how the children accessed it.
The county prosecutor's and sheriff's offices are investigating the shooting.
"Authorities stressed that this heartbreaking incident serves as a stark and painful reminder of the critical importance of properly securing firearms and the need for close attention to firearm safety," the news release said.
According to advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety, there have been at least 120 unintentional shootings in 2026 by children, resulting in 43 deaths and 79 injuries.
