St. Louis police identify 4-year-old girl fatally shot

ST. LOUIS – Police say a child accidentally shot and killed their four-year-old sister overnight Tuesday in north St. Louis. Authorities released the identity the child on Wednesday.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department reports that Harley Hosein was the victim of the shooting. Next of kin have been notified.

Investigators say the shooting took place after midnight Tuesday as a 10-year-old, 9-year-old, and twin 4-year-old children were inside a home with no adults present. In a news conference Tuesday afternoon, police said that a mother left the children alone while she went to the store. At some point after that, one child found a gun that was not secure and shot the 4-year-old girl.

The victim, now identified as Harley Hosein, was a sibling of the child who reportedly shot her.

The shooting unfolded around midnight with police rushing to a shooting call on the 700 block of Thrush in the Baden neighborhood.

SLMPD stressed in a news conference Tuesday that the situation was preventable, also emphasizing the importance of gun owners leaving their guns locked when they leave their home.

“Mom made a terrible decision. The kids were left alone, there was an unsecure firearm, but it is also a mother that is grieving,” Mitch McCoy with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department said.

Authorities have not disclosed if the situation may lead to arrests or criminal charges. McCoy said the gun belonged to the mother.

“When we arrived and we started piecing together this case, it appeared to be an accidental shooting,” he said. “She lost a child and our hearts go out to the entire family, but we have to make sure that we do justice for the 4-year-old little girl.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.