A three-year-old girl is clinging to life after suffering a gunshot wound to the head while inside a car parked outside Hunt County Regional Medical Center, according to Greenville police.
Officers responded to the hospital at about 4:07 p.m. Tuesday for a report of a child with a gunshot wound.
“The mother and the child were in the vehicle and the mother says the gunshot went off,” said Lt. Brandon West. “The mother immediately noticed the child had been hit by the round and jumped over the seat and grabbed the child and ran into the hospital with the child.”
The firearm, police say, was a .22-caliber rifle. Rifle barrels typically range between 16-18 inches in length.
Police said on Tuesday they believe this is an isolated incident and there is no related threat to the community.
The victim’s identity and current medical status are unknown.
While it is unlawful to leave a loaded and unsecured firearm where a child under 17 can access it and violators could be charged with a misdemeanor, Lt. West emphasizes this investigation is not criminal in nature.
He hopes it serves as a reminder to all gun owners in Texas.
“A three-year-old doesn’t know what they’re doing with a firearm so firearms have to be kept separate from children and away from them,” said West. “We live in Texas and most everybody has firearms and we have to be responsible firearm owners.”
The Greenville Police Department, like many departments across North Texas, provides gun locks at no cost.
The department’s Criminal Investigations Division is conducting an ongoing investigation.
Officials urge anyone with information to contact Detective Hamilton at 903-457-2916 or JLHamilton@ci.greenville.tx.us.
