Updated at 10:15 p.m. on Wednesday, July 17, 2013 –
Police are investigating the shooting incident that occurred between two children at a family gathering.
According to a report by KTVI, the six-year-old boy, who police say was the shooter, is being identified as a family member.
Bellville Police Detective Mark Heffernan said the gun used did not have a safety lock on it. He said at this time the department will not be applying for charges on the six-year-old, according to the report.
“We believe that this is just a tragic circumstance that these kids located this firearm and it had a deadly result,” said Detective Heffernan.
Adults at the family gathering were on the lower level of the home, while the children were in an upstairs bedroom.
Officials say the owner of the home had been keeping the gun for a relative.
Original story published at 4:02 p.m. on Wednesday, July 17, 2013 —
An 11-year-old boy died after he was apparently shot in the head by six-year-old boy in Belleville, Illinois.
Our sister station KTVI reports the shooting happened at about 11 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, 2013 during a family gathering at a home on North 98th Street.
Police said the boys were in an upstairs bedroom at the time of the shooting, and that other children witnessed the shooting. The 11-year-old was shot in the head. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.
The report indicated the shooting was believed to be an accident.