CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) – A 2-year-old in Virginia accidentally shot their mother’s boyfriend Monday morning, according to police, leaving the man in critical condition.
Police say it appears that the man was preparing to leave his house Monday morning and had placed his handgun on a nearby chair when the young child picked up the gun.
It is believed that the child accidentally fired the gun, shooting the man. No one else was injured, including the child.
When officers arrived, police said they found the man had been shot once. He was flown by helicopter to a local hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. He remains in critical condition two days later.
This shooting, which occurred in Chesterfield County, underscores a recent change in Virginia law aimed at preventing such tragedies. As of last month, it is a felony in the state for gun owners to allow children access to firearms under Lucia’s Law.
The legislation is named in honor of 13-year-old Lucia Bremer, who was fatally shot in Henrico County in 2021 by a 14-year-old. The boy who shot her used a guardian’s gun that was left unattended. The law seeks to address the growing concerns around gun safety and child access.
Accidental shootings have resulted in the deaths of at least 1,262 children, ages 17 and under, between 2003 and 2021, according to data collected in 49 states and Washington, D.C., by the National Violent Death Reporting System. A majority were killed in their own home while playing with the firearm or showing it to another person.