Two-year-old Chesterfield Boy Accidentally Shoots Man

Chesterfield County, Va. (Newsradiowrva.com) - A man is in critical condition after a child got a hold of a gun and shot him.

Police say the victim was about to leave the house when his girlfriend’s toddler picked up a gun that had been placed on a chair and accidentally discharged the firearm.

“The victim was preparing to leave the house and had placed his handgun on a nearby chair when a child, who is nearly 3 years old, retrieved the gun,” said the Chesterfield County Police Department in a press release. “The child accidentally discharged the firearm, shooting the victim.”

The incident took place at a home in the 4400 block of Butler Lane, just before 10 a.m. on Monday. The victim was airlifted to the hospital in critical condition.

The incident is drawing more attention to gun safety in the neighborhood, especially as it is close to Virginia State University where neighbors were shocked by a shooting just a week earlier.

Chesterfield County Police say the investigation is ongoing.