The 7-year-old that was accidentally shot on Wednesday in Jeanerette has died.
The shooting happened on Main Street Wednesday evening.
According to Jeanerette Police Chief Dusty Vallot, a 15-year-old and a 7-year-old were in a vehicle outside a barbershop around 6:30 p.m. The 15-year-old located a gun and the weapon "accidentally" discharged and struck the 7-year-old in the head, the chief says.
The child was then taken to a Baton Rouge hospital by helicopter where he died about an hour later.
Chief Vallot told KATC the juveniles were waiting in the car for an older family member to finish getting her hair done and that's when the teen found his sister's gun. Vallot said the gun discharged while the teen was looking at it, and that's when the child was shot.
"I don't even know where to begin on how they actually feel right now I mean, uh, working cases of this nature I mean of course I'm the father of a 14-year-old," Vallot said. "And it brings me back to my son so I can't, like, I said, I can't imagine at all."
KATC spoke with one of the barbers at the shop who didn't want to speak on camera, but he said he had just finished cutting the boys' hair. He said he did what he could to help until paramedics arrived.
Chief Vallot said the 15-year old isn't facing charges at this time. KATC asked him if the teen's older sister will be charged — this is what he had to say.
"She won't, it's really just a really tragic accident," Vallot said." "Um, she didn't, uh, have any intentions with the kid messing with the gun or anything, and it's totally legal to carry a weapon on your person, it's just, kids began looking and found the gun and that's just...very tragic."
Moving forward, the chief said this tragedy serves as a reminder to those in the community.
"As families, parents, sisters, brothers, whoever, we have to be mindful of where we're putting these weapons, make sure they're locked and secure, especially if there's children around."
According to Jeanerette police, the investigation is ongoing.
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