2-year-old dies after shooting herself with family-owned gun, police say

PORTAGE, Ind. (WLS) — A 2-year-old girl has died after accidentally shooting herself Tuesday in Portage, Indiana, according to police.

Portage police responded to the 100-block of Coral Avenue in response to a 2-year-old girl with a gunshot wound.

When they arrived, they immediately provided aid to the child before she was taken by ambulance to Portage Hospital. The girl was then flown to an Illinois trauma center for advanced treatment, where she later died, police said.

Officials said the initial investigation shows that the child was able to gain access to a family-owned firearm and discharged a single round, striking herself.

Police said it is an ongoing investigation and will present their findings to the Porter County Prosecutor’s Office to determine what, if any, criminal charges are appropriate. An autopsy has also been scheduled.

No other children were in the home and no other injuries were reported.

Counselors have been made available to the first responders who were affected by the incident.

“Although responding to traumatic incidents are a normal occurrence for police, fire, EMS, and other first responders, incidents involving the untimely death of a child can be some of the hardest,” a Portage Police Department spokesperson said.