8-Year-Old Florida Boy Shoots Himself After Finding Gun At Home, Father Charged

A man in Florida was arrested and charged Monday after his 8-year-old son accidentally shot himself at their home.

Police responded to the residence in west Orlando on Monday afternoon after receiving information about a shooting incident. The officers found the child with a gunshot wound to his hand. The 8-year-old boy, whose name was not revealed, was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and was reported to be in a stable condition, Orlando Sentinel reported.

Investigation revealed that the boy got hold of the firearm in the residence and accidentally shot himself in the hand.

The child’s father, identified as 38-year-old Rodriguez Dowe, was taken into custody from the residence Monday and charged with one count each of child neglect, carrying a firearm by a convicted felon, and safe storage of a firearm, ABC 7 reported. Authorities did not reveal the crimes the accused was previously convicted for.

Orlando police spokesperson Heidi Rodríguez said the state Department of Children and Families has been informed about the incident, Click Orlando reported.

It wasn't clear if anyone else was present at the residence when the child shot himself. The child remained in the hospital as of Tuesday. Details regarding the accused's bail plea were not released.

The incident comes a month after a 3-year-old boy, described as "curious" and "active" by relatives, died after accidentally shooting himself at his home in Louisiana. Medics arrived at the residence and declared the child dead at the scene. The boy’s father, who was making lunch in another room when the shooting took place, was taken into custody from the home. Investigation revealed that there were two other children at the residence when the boy shot himself. The family members told the police that the accused had recently purchased the semiautomatic pistol for protection against potential burglars.

According to surveys, approximately 40 percent of people in the United States either own a gun or live with someone who owns one. While most of these people have said that protection is the main reason they own a firearm, the others have cited hunting as the reason.