A 4-year-old Indiana boy who was accidentally shot in the head while play-wrestling with his father has died, authorities said.
Tripp Shaw died Thursday morning as a result of his injuries, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said.
Tripp and his 36-year-old father were play-wrestling in their home in Bloomington on January 19 when the man’s concealed handgun slipped from his back and went off, the sheriff’s office said.
The shot struck both of them in the head. The father is expected to recover, according to the sheriff’s office.
One of the family’s next-door neighbors, Kaili Frye, told CNN affiliate WXIN this week that she was stunned to learn what had happened.
“It’s horrifying. It’s heart-wrenching. I can’t even imagine what they are going through,” Frye told WXIN.
The sheriff’s office hasn’t said whether the father will be charged, citing an ongoing investigation.
According to the National Safety Council, accidental and preventable gun deaths make up 1% of overall gun-related deaths in the US. In 2017, there were 486 accidental or preventable gun deaths.