Warren child listed critical after shooting himself, police say

Warren — An 8-year-old child is in critical condition after he shot himself in the head Friday after allegedly finding an unsecured handgun in a home, Warren police officials said.

"The initial investigation looks like he got ahold of an unsecured firearm in the house and shot himself in the face," Warren Police Commissioner Charles Rushton told The Detroit News. "He's in critical condition."

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Officers were called to an apartment complex near Hoover and 10 Mile roads in Warren at about 3:25 p.m. Friday to investigate the shooting, the commissioner said. The child was taken to the hospital by Warren Fire Department.

Rushton said both of the child's parents and two other children were in the home at the time of the incident. Additional injuries were not reported.

"Everyone right now is being cooperative and, right now, we're still investigating," said Rushton, who added no arrests have been made and foul play was not suspected.

In 2020, firearms injuries became the number one cause of death for children in the United States and Michigan, surpassing motor vehicle deaths and those caused by other injuries, according to the Michigan State Police and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

A state law that took effect Feb. 13 requires gun owners to keep stored or unattended firearms unloaded and locked with a locking device or stored in a locked box or container if it is known or reasonably should be known that a minor is, or is likely to be, present on the premises.

Last week, state officials announced they were handing out 75,000 free cable-style gun locks from a national firearm safety education program in an effort to "protect children from unsecured firearms," which seeks to intercept the leading cause of death among children.

jaimery@detroitnews.com