NORTH PORT, Fla. (WFLA) — A grandmother was shot by her 6-year-old granddaughter while driving in North Port on Thursday.
The North Port Police Department was called to a home on Tollefson Avenue just before 3:00 p.m. to investigate a reported accidental discharge.
A 57-year-old woman told police the child found the gun in the backseat of the car and fired one shot, hitting her in the lower back through the seat. She drove herself home and was air-lifted to Sarasota Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Police said the gun was stored in a holster, which was placed in the back pocket of the driver’s seat with a seat cover over it. After interviewing the child and grandmother, officers said their explanations indicate the shooting was an accident.
“This is an unfortunate example of the importance of gun safety. Please take appropriate measures to make sure children cannot access firearms,” North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison said. “This could have been much worse, not only for the grandmother, but for the child. Thankfully, it appears that everyone is going to be okay.”
North Port police are still investigating the incident.
