MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A 10-year-old boy is seriously injured after he was accidentally shot in Wynne, Arkansas.
The Wynne Police Department said the Cross County Sheriff’s Office received the call at around 5 p.m. Thursday.
Police say officers arrived on the scene on Fitzhugh Circle and found a 10-year-old boy who had been shot in the chest. Wynne Police say the child was bleeding profusely.
The 10-year-old was taken to CrossRidge Community Hospital, where he was then flown to a hospital in Memphis.
Police say he is currently recovering.
According to Wynne Police, the victim’s 13-year-old brother accidentally shot the victim while playing with an “unsecured firearm” in the house.
Wynne Police said while shooting someone is “unquestionably criminal,” this shooting was a “heartbreaking accident.”
“As mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles and grandparents ourselves, our hearts break for the children and their families,” the police department said in a release. “We, as a community, must attempt to help the family heal and overcome this disastrous event in any way possible.”
So far this year, Le Bonheur reports treating at least 77 patients with gunshot wounds. In 2021, they treated 158 shooting victims. 44 of those shootings were accidental shootings.
Wynne Police urge gun owners to “be diligent in their ownership.”
“We cannot leave our guns where they are accessible to children, and we must be vigilant in the practice of firearm safety,” the police department said.
The Wynne Police Department is asking who wants to turn over a firearm or have one destroyed to come to the police department.
Wynne Mayor Jennifer Hobbs said this was a harsh reminder that gun safety should always be top priority.
“We cannot be lackadaisical. We cannot assume that it’s never going to happen to us,” Hobbs said. “We have to be vigilant, to be mindful of the danger that the guns can and teach safety and responsibility if you are going to have guns in your home.”
As of right now, the mayor said she is unaware if any charges will be filed.
