3-year-old fires unsecured gun, kills sleeping man, GA cops say. ‘Heartbreaking’
A 3-year-old fired an unsecured gun, accidentally killing a 19-year-old while he was asleep, deputies in Georgia said.
Deputies responded to the shooting after 7 a.m. June 23 at a home in Hiram, about a 30-mile drive northwest from Atlanta, the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
There, they found the 19-year-old man — whose identity was not released — suffering from a gunshot wound, deputies said.
Despite life-saving attempts, the man died at the scene, according to deputies.
According to investigators, the 19-year-old was visiting family and brought the gun used in the shooting, WAGA reported.
The man and the toddler were not related, and no one will be charged, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office told McClatchy News.
According to the sheriff’s office, the toddler “has no recollection of what he did,” WRDW reported.
“This is a heartbreaking situation for everyone involved,” deputies said. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this incident.”
This story was originally published June 24, 2025 at 12:50 PM with the headline "3-year-old fires unsecured gun, kills sleeping man, GA cops say. ‘Heartbreaking’."
