Boy, 6, dies after being shot in the head by a nine-year-old with a gun in front of adult at home in Florida | The Sun

A YOUNG boy has been shot dead by a nine-year-old at a home in Florida, police said.

The tragic victim, 6, was fatally wounded in the head with a single gunshot at a property in Jacksonville, US, on Monday.

He was rushed to hospital but sadly could not be saved, Assistant Chief J.D. Stronko from Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said.

The chilling incident at the property on Shady Pine Street South in the Duclay neighbourhood occurred at around 2.45pm.

Police said an adult was present inside the home when the nine-year-old pulled the trigger.

They were taken in for questioning by cops as detectives work to piece the tragedy together.

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The relationship between the children has not been disclosed.

No charges have been filed against the adult and police have not identified those involved.

Stronko said: "Initial investigation determined the two juveniles were located inside of the residence in the care of an adult. 

"One of the juveniles was able to obtain a firearm and fired a single shot striking the victim. There is no indication of criminal violence."

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Neighbours told of their anguish in wake of the deadly incident.

One told News4Jax: "It's terrible, terrible. It breaks my heart. I always tell my kids and teach them not to touch my gun."

Other residents said the house was rented out several times and they were not sure who was currently living there.

Florida Department of Children and Families say three children have died as a result of accidental shootings in the state this year.

In February, a three-year-old child accidentally shot himself after gaining access to a gun in Volusia County.

Just weeks later, a four-year-old from Orange County mistakenly pulled the trigger and died while picking up a weapon.

A two-year-old was then fatally wounded while playing with a loaded gun in Broward County.

A representative for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital said parents aren’t doing enough to prevent children from accessing their weapons. 

Nichole Michaels, a principal investigator with The Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, said: "If your child is going to visit a friend’s house or a relative’s house go ahead and ask: "Are there firearms in the home?'

"And if there are, how are they stored?"'

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"Normalizing it so that parents are asking about firearms, the same way that they ask about allergies in the home or pets in the home, you know, just making those conversations really normal, can go a long way toward, you know, opening up these discussions and preventing these tragedies from happening."

The investigation continues.

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