A 9-year-old Barrow County boy died Wednesday night after he shot himself at home, Channel 2 Action News reported.

“We’re not sure if it was an accident or self-inflicted, and we’re still investigating that,” Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith told the news station.

The boy, a third-grader in Winder, had gotten off the bus from school shortly before the incident, the station reported. The weapon was secured, but the boy was able to get to it.

He was flown to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston after the incident, officials said. Smith said he was notified about 11 p.m. that the boy had died.

Smith said he will interview the boy’s parents, teachers and friends “trying to figure out how this happened.

“This is not something you want to deal with on a day-to-day basis. If you did, you’d want to retire pretty quickly and go do something different.”

Charges are not likely in the case, Smith said. The boy’s name has not been released.

In other news:

Family's Pit Bull Mauls 6-month-old to Death

About the Author

Keep Reading

A Korean Air plane takes off from Incheon International Airport in South Korea on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. The plane is chartered to bring back Korean workers detained in an immigration raid in Georgia. (Yonhap via AP)

Credit: AP

Featured

Delta employees are under investigation because of content “related to the recent murder of activist Charlie Kirk” that “went well beyond healthy, respectful debate,” CEO Ed Bastian wrote in a companywide memo Friday. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez