CLARKSVILLE, TN (WSMV-AP) -
Clarksville police are investigating how a 3-year-old found a pistol and shot himself in the foot.
The boy was airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville with an injury that was not life-threatening after officers were called to the boy's home around 5 p.m. Sunday.
Candice Pop was in another room when her son found the 9 mm handgun unsecured
and was playing with it on a couch when it discharged.
Sadly, this is not an isolated case.
In a July 8 incident, a Clarksville man was charged with neglect after his 6-year-old daughter fired a pistol in the house.
"That could have been mine. It could have been my daughter," Brandy Imel said.
Imel's daughter, Kaylee Joe, managed to unlock the safety of her dad's gun and pulled the trigger.
No one was hurt in that case.
And after two incidents in just three weeks, police are now pleading with parents to use gun safes and keep guns away from children.
They also advise to teach children that if they see a gun to leave it alone and find a trustworthy adult.
Copyright WSMV 2012 (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
