5-year-old boy fatally shoots himself after finding gun at home
A 5-year-old boy has died following an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Brooks Thomas Wilson found a 9mm gun in the back of his home and fired a single shot to his head on Thursday (August 22) according to police.
Lt. Mike Wall with the Santaquin Police Department said that his parents and siblings were home at the time, however, they were not in the room with him, as per ABC News.
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He further explained that his family tried to resuscitate him while emergency responders tried their best to save the little boy. He was confirmed dead at the scene.
Authorities do not suspect foul play and charges against his parents are not currently being pursued, The Daily Mail reports.
According to Fox 13, Utah doesn't have any laws that penalize a person for failing to secure their firearms and leaving it unattended to an unsupervised minor.
It is also not required by the state to store weapons in a certain way or require a locking device, however, investigators are looking into how he could have got his hands on a gun - which is currently unknown.
Lt. Wall also declined to comment on if or how the gun was secured, The Daily Mail says.
His family have set up a GoFundMe page in memory of Brooks, with his relative Spencer organizing the fund to 'support our family during this time, any contributions will go towards covering funeral expenses'.
They wrote: “Brooks was always a happy and adventurous young boy, and his loving spirit will be remembered forever.
"If you feel inclined to support our family during this time, any contributions will go towards covering funeral expenses. We are thankful to know that we will be reunited with him again.”
The ‘Wilson and Hunsaker’ family also released a statement on Friday (August 23) which read: “This heartbreaking incident has taught us difficult lessons, and we deeply regret that it unfolded this way. Our hearts are shattered, and we hope that our family´s loss serves as a poignant reminder of how quickly life can change.”
In his obituary, they went on to share that Brooks had 'lived his life to the fullest and always wore his heart on his sleeve' and that ‘his curious nature showed a deep desire to learn and to pitch in with tasks around the home and with his dad working in the garage'.
As per The Daily Mail, Wall said that the family is 'obviously devastated', adding: "Obviously it's a shock to the community. It's always a good reminder of how quick things can happen and how fast accidents can take place.”
UNILAD has contacted the Santaquin Police Department for further comment.
Britt Jones