Fort Worth authorities are reiterating the importance of firearm safety protocols after a five-year-old girl died from an accidental shooting at a South Fort Worth apartment complex over the weekend. The incident occurred just months after city leaders launched a campaign to prevent deaths caused by unsecured weapons.
Police confirmed that the child accessed an unsecured gun and shot herself on Saturday night. Officers responded immediately and provided medical aid before transporting the girl to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The investigation into the specific circumstances remains ongoing, with no further updates released at this time.
This tragedy followed another accidental shooting involving a child earlier that same day. According to Fort Worth Police Department spokesperson Buddy Calzada, approximately fifteen minutes prior to the fatal call, officers responded to a different incident where a child between the ages of 10 and 11 shot themselves in the hand with a gun found in a backyard.
These events underscore concerns raised by local medical professionals. Dr. Daniel Guzman, who works in the emergency department at Cook Children’s Hospital, expressed frustration over the recurring nature of such accidents. He stated that he views each incident as a failure to reach families with safety messages before a tragedy occurs.
In response to these incidents, city officials are directing residents toward free safety resources. Calzada noted that the police department maintains an inventory of gun locks at various sectors. He encouraged residents who do not have secure storage solutions to visit any sector to obtain locks compatible with nearly all firearm types, including pistols, revolvers, and rifles.
