8-year-old boy killed in accidental shooting, Concord police say

CONCORD, N.C. — Police are investigating after they said someone accidentally shot and killed an 8-year-old boy Friday morning in Concord.

Officers were called just after 2 a.m. to the scene on Ramsgate Drive SW, in a subdivision off of Zion Church Road East. When they arrived, police found the boy, who had been shot.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police told Channel 9 that the man who fired the gun was not related to the victim but did live in the home.

Authorities said the gun was registered to the shooter and is usually kept in a safe. But it was fired when he was unloading it an upstairs bedroom. It then went into a bed, through the floor and ceiling of the bathroom below where it struck the victim.

The man was taken to police headquarters and is cooperating, but officials said all witness statements confirmed that the shooting was an accident.

Channel 9 crews could see investigators going in and out of the home all morning. An apparent bullet hole could be seen in a second-floor window.

“It appears that the discharge of the firearm was accidental,” said Concord Police Maj. Robert Ledwell Jr. “I just think you have to practice extreme firearm safety. I don’t have all the details as far as what was going on at the time the gun discharged.”

Tiffany Cartner, a neighbor, says several of her family members own guns and they practice being safe with them.

“They’ve all been through classes and are very very safe with their guns," Cartner said. "They keep them put away where nobody can get to them but themselves.”

Other people who live in the neighborhood told Channel 9 they were in shock over what happened.

“I feel really sorry for the family," one neighbor said. "My deepest condolences. It’s really unfortunate. I have two children of my own so I can only imagine.”

“Accidents happen," said Tijuana Harrison, another neighbor. "It’s really sad when a life is lost. He was still a baby. I don’t understand why a firearm would be out when kids are out.”

No other information has been released but Channel 9 has asked police if there would be any charges filed in this case. They said no decision has been made at this point.

Friday’s shooting marks at least seven accidental shootings involving kids in our area this year.

The most recent happened in York County when a 19-year-old died after his friend accidentally shot him.

In Charlotte’s Hidden Valley, a 5-year-old was killed when a gun got into a teen’s hands.

Channel 9 has also reported about a 2-year-old who was killed after getting ahold of his father’s gun.

Three teens also died over the summer in separate incidents in Charlotte.

Check back with wsoctv.com for updates on this story.

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