16-month-old boy fatally shot by 5-year-old sibling at home in Indiana
A 16-month-old boy was fatally shot by his 5-year-old sibling at a northwestern Indiana apartment, authorities said.
The older sibling accessed a handgun inside the Lafayette apartment on Tuesday afternoon and fatally shot the boy, who was identified as Isiah Johnson, police said late Tuesday.
Lafayette police Lt. Matt Gard said someone outside of the apartment called 911 after the shooting to report that a child was not breathing.
BREAKING: A 1-year-old has been shot and killed in Lafayette, according to police. No arrests have been made at this time.https://t.co/tezkxucD3P
— CBS4 Indy (@CBS4Indy) March 28, 2023
"There was one adult and two children inside the apartment," Gard told the Journal & Courier.
An autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday to determine the child's cause and manner of death.
No arrests had been made as of Wednesday and the case remains under investigation, police said.
When the investigation is completed, officials said the case will be sent to the Tippecanoe County Prosecutor's Office for review to determine if charges might be filed.
Anyone with information on the incident is being asked to contact the Lafayette Police Department at (765) 807-1200.
Lafayette is located about 60 miles north of Indianapolis.
According to data analyzed by advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety, so far this year there have been at least 63 unintentional shootings by children in the U.S., resulting in 25 deaths and 39 injuries.
Last year, there were at least 353 unintentional shootings by children nationwide, resulting in 156 deaths and 212 injuries, the group said.