A 5-year-old girl is fighting for her life in a Washington, D.C., hospital after being shot by her younger sibling Monday night, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
Police Chief Pamela Smith said officers responded to a report of a shooting inside an apartment in the unit block of Galveston Street Southwest around 6:30 p.m.
A 5-year-old girl was found at the scene with gunshot wounds to her upper body. She was taken to an area hospital in critical condition.
“The child is currently in critical condition,” Smith said at a news conference Monday night. “This is a very unfortunate incident.”
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Police in Washington, D.C., arrested two adults Monday in connection with the shooting death of a 5-year-old girl by her brother. (Metropolitan Police Department/YouTube)
Smith said the girl was shot and killed by her brother, who had access to an unsecured gun inside the apartment. I think he is around 3 years old.
“This incident really highlights the danger of unsecured firearms in the home, especially around children,” Smith said. “We want to emphasize the importance of firearm safety and ask everyone to keep the young female victim in your prayers at this time.”
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A man who was a longtime family friend was arrested inside the apartment and charged with child abuse, police said. The two children were left in his care while their mother ran errands.
The children were inside their mother's apartment in a unit block on Southwest Galveston Street in Washington, D.C. (Google Earth)
Police said it was unclear whether the man had a relationship with the mother, but said the apartment belonged to her.
The woman who assaulted the special police officer working at the apartment building was also arrested on the spot. Details about the incident have not been released, but Smith said she is the sister of the girl who was shot.
Asked who owned the gun or if it was a ghost gun, Smith said officers didn't know yet, adding that the investigation was in its preliminary stages.
At the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department, (Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Smith emphasized the importance of gun safety during a brief press conference, saying he can't talk about it enough.
“If there are firearms in the home, we are expected to keep them locked up and away from children, especially young children,” Smith said.
