Accidental? Investigation Into Shooting of Boy, 8, in Millville

A child was shot Friday night in Millville and police are investigating whether the shooting was accidental.

According to NJ.com, an 8-year-old boy was taken to a hospital after he was shot in the leg Friday night, police said.

Officers responded to a residence on North 6th Street in Millville around 11:40 p.m. and found the victim suffering from a leg wound, according to Millville Police Chief Ross Hoffman.

Hoffman said the boy was taken to Cooper University Hospital in Camden in stable condition. He remained hospitalized on Monday.

The shooting is believed to have been accidental, the police chief said. The incident remains under investigation.

How Is a Young Child Accidentally Shot?

This boy is lucky to be alive

My question is how could there be an accidental shooting involving an 8-year-old? Who would put such a young child in danger of being shot?

Why was someone so reckless as to be holding a loaded gun while facing a child?

Unfortunately, it isn't all that rare.

The CDC says that unintentional injury is the top cause of death among children and adolescents between 1–17 years in America, and firearms are a leading injury method.

The majority (85.5%) of victims were fatally injured at a house or apartment, including 55.6% in their own home.

Among all child victims of unintentional fatal firearm injuries, the most common precipitating circumstances were the shooter playing with or showing the gun to another person (66.6%); unintentionally pulling the trigger (21.3%); or thinking the gun was unloaded (20.5%)

Children's Gun Deaths in New Jersey

Although shooting and gun deaths are lower in New Jersey than the national average, guns are tied for the 2nd-leading cause of death among children and teens in the state.

In New Jersey, an average of 36 children and teens die by guns every year, of which 14% of these deaths are suicides and 84% are homicides.

In the US, 31% of all gun deaths among children and teens are suicides and 63% are homicides.