7-year-old shot by 8-year-old after finding gun while home alone, police say

A 7-year-old was shot in the stomach by an 8-year-old after finding a .45 caliber handgun at a Griffin, Georgia, home Monday, authorities said.

The child was shot at the Griffin Crossings apartment complex off West McIntosh Road, Griffin police said in a news release. The two children found the gun while home alone and were playing with it when it accidentally fired.

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Police, firefighters and emergency medical services all responded to the scene, and the child was flown to a hospital. The child, whose condition is unknown, is undergoing surgery, the release said.

No foul play is suspected, and an investigation is ongoing. The Department of Family and Children Services is also assisting in the investigation.

This incident comes a week after a 6-year-old girl was shot in the head and killed by her 4-year-old brother in Paulding County.

The two were sitting in a parked car while their mother was trying to figure out why it wouldn’t start, police said. The 4-year-old found a handgun in the center console and accidentally shot his sister.

>> On AJC.com: 6-year-old girl dies days after accidental shooting in Paulding County

On Friday evening, a 7-year-old girl was also shot while sitting on the couch inside her DeKalb County home by a bullet that was fired from outside the house. She was taken to a hospital in serious condition.

Three bullet holes were found in the home’s front door and another four were found in two windows. Nobody is in custody, and it’s unclear why the home was targeted.

– Visit AJC.com for the latest on this developing story.

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