A 25-year-old man was accidentally shot and killed by a toddler who found a handgun, Savannah, Georgia police confirmed on Wednesday.
Per WSAV, the Savannah Police Department responded to reports of a shooting inside a home at around 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 5. When authorities arrived at the scene, they discovered Dustin Walters injured. He was taken to the nearby Memorial Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. Savannah police chief Roy Minter said that the toddler, who is under two years old, found the gun and fatally shot Walters.
“We grieve along with the Walters family,” said Minter, who added that further details would not be disclosed out of respect for the family’s privacy. “As a parent, I cannot imagine what this family is going through or will continue to go through in the coming years. What we want to make sure now is that parents are aware that although rare, these incidents can happen with tragic results. Please take this seriously and take the steps to ensure that you and your family members are safe.”
Although the relation between the toddler and Walters is not clear, the man’s family was present at the time of the shooting, police said. In the statement released this week, Savannah police stressed the importance of making sure firearms are safely secured and not easily accessible to children.
“If your child is old enough, have a conversation about the dangers of firearms and advise the child to never touch a firearm,” said the police department. “Also, tell the child to notify an adult know if they find a gun. However, experts advise that adults should acknowledge that children are curious and they should not rely on these conversations alone to be a deterrent.”
According to Everytown for Gun Safety, there have been 330 accidental shootings by children in the United States this year.
