Boy with Down syndrome accidentally shoots himself in face, dies

From the Tulsa World in Oklahoma:

A mentally disabled 6-year-old boy shot himself in the face Jan. 21 and died Jan. 22.

The boy, who has Down syndrome, accidentally shot himself with a handgun at his home shortly before 5:30 p.m., said Tulsa Police Capt. Ryan Perkins.

According to police, the victim, identified as 6-year-old Jeffery Allen, died at 8:29 a.m. Jan. 22.

A small crowd of onlookers gathered in the 800 block of North Troost Avenue the evening of Jan. 21 as detectives searched the house and officers questioned neighbors. Investigators found the handgun in a bedroom, Perkins said.

Police learned of the shooting when the child’s family drove him from the house to Hillcrest Medical Center. He was transferred by helicopter to St. Francis Hospital in extremely critical condition with a gunshot wound near his left eye, Perkins said.

Although the family is cooperating with the investigation, it was unclear whether anyone was with the boy when he shot himself.Perkins said he didn’t know how the boy got access to the gun, and he urged all firearm owners to use trigger locks and other safe storage methods.