UPDATE: Police ID 3-year-old who fatally shot himself in SW Atlanta
A 3-year-old boy died Tuesday, hours after finding a loaded gun and accidentally shooting himself in the head, Atlanta police said.
The shooting occurred at about 11 a.m. Tuesday at a home in the 3300 block of Manor Lane in southwest Atlanta, department spokesman Officer Anthony Grant said. Police originally said the child was a girl.
The boy, later identified as Aiden Kelly, was rushed to Hughes Spalding Hospital in critical condition. Police confirmed his death shortly after 4 p.m.
“Preliminary investigation indicates the wound was accidentally self-inflicted,” Grant told AJC.com.
It’s unclear where the boy found the gun, but police said the child’s mother and her boyfriend are cooperating with investigators.
An autopsy will confirm the official cause and manner of death, according to police. Investigators have not said whether charges are expected in the case.
— Please return to AJC.com for updates.
About the Author
Asia Simone Burns is a watchdog reporter for the AJC. Burns was formerly an intern in AJC’s newsroom and now writes about crime. She is a graduate of Samford University and has previously reported for NPR and WABE, Atlanta’s NPR member station.
