Boy, 4, accidentally shoots his 8-year-old brother, East St. Louis police say
Police were dispatched to a home in the 800 block of North 24th Street in reference to an 8-year-old boy shot by his 4-year-old brother on Sunday night.
According to a news release issued by the East St. Louis Police Department, the victim is expected to survive the injures and remained hospitalized on Monday.
The shooting, which occurred at 10 p.m., is being investigated as accidental. An adult who was at the home at the time of the incident told police the two juveniles were in the bathroom and when he heard gunshots he rushed and found one child shot.
The younger child told the adult that he accidentally shot his brother while they were filming a video.
The gun belonged to a family member.
The police did not say how the children got access to the gun or what type of gun it was.
Police urged residents to keep guns in a secure place.
The Illinois State Police crime scene unit was called out to process the scene, the release said.
This story was originally published November 23, 2020 at 3:28 PM.
