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2-year-old injured after finding gun, firing round in Grand Rapids home

On Tuesday morning, a 2-year-old on Coit Avenue in Grand Rapids found his mom's handgun and fired a round. Police say he is minorly injured.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Police are investigating after a 2-year-old found his mom's handgun and fired a round in Grand Rapids. 

It happened at about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday on Coit Avenue.

The child's mother was asleep at the time and the bullet went into the ceiling. The child is currently being evaluated for a possible injury to his face, his eyes and damage to his hearing.

Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom said the minor injuries the child suffered to his face and eyesight are likely burns from the gun powder and flying debris from where the round hit the ceiling. His hearing could have been affected from the sound of the explosion. 

"I'm very thankful that we are talking about the type of injuries and that we are not talking about the tragic death of a 2-year-old today," Winstrom said. 

The preliminary investigation into the case is ongoing. 

Winstrom said he hopes this accident comes as a learning experience and a reminder not only for the child's mother, but for the community, about the importance of safely storing firearms in the home.

You can secure firearms in many different ways, from keeping them tucked away in a safe to storing them somewhere using a biometric lock. 

The Grand Rapids Police Department has cable locks and trigger guards available at the station lobby for free. 


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