Authorities in the Houston area are urging residents to do more to keep guns out of the hands of children in the wake of three child shootings there in four days.
On Friday, a 3-year-old boy died. Preliminary information shows he shot himself with a gun he found at a home, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
On Sunday, another child, 4, “died under similar circumstances,” the office said. CNN affiliate KPRC reported the boy found the gun underneath a bed. Both cases are under investigation.
The third shooting took place early Monday when 5-year-old boy shot his 6-year-old brother, KPRC said. The child was rushed to a hospital and is believed to be in critical condition.
“I have no idea how he got it, where it was at. We have a safe in here, so I have no idea if it was in the safe or if we were walking around with it, set it down somewhere. No idea,” Thomas Gray, the victim’s uncle, told the affiliate.
In a statement, the sheriff’s office reminded residents to keep firearms in a locked location, away from ammunition. It also said to talk to children about not touching guns.
KPRC spoke to a neighbor of the boy shot Monday, who echoed what the sheriff’s office said.
“I think parents need to be more cautious and take care of what they need to take care of instead of leaving that dangerous stuff out for kids to get ahold of. They need to take more precautions and put that stuff away in a safe place,” Don’Ja Helms told the affiliate.