According to The Times-Picayune, authorities responded to a report of a "medical emergency" at a home in LaPlace on Saturday morning.
"The father of a 5-year-old girl reported that his daughter shot herself while playing with a handgun," St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office said in a news release. The gun "was unsecured in the residence," the release added.
The girl, identified as Haley Moore, died after she was taken to a nearby hospital, The Times-Picayune reports.
Neighbor Joy Ursin told KSLA that Haley's father, Eric Moore, was showering when the shooting occurred. The recently divorced veteran always stressed gun safety when Haley and her two siblings were with him, Ursin said.
"I know he'd always say that he has a designated area where he puts firearms away," she told KSLA. "I mean, he's a retired veteran."
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