The father of a four-year-old boy is facing charges in Baton Rouge, Louisiana after the child found a gun inside his home and accidentally shot himself to death while playing with the weapon, the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office said.
The fatal shooting occurred on Prescott Road around 6 p.m. on Friday, July 8.
The child’s father, whose name is Lynzell Anderson, 34, faces a charge of Negligent Homicide, according to investigators.
East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome issued the following statement about the shooting on the morning of Saturday, July 9:
The tragic incident of a four-year-old finding a gun and shooting himself is equally sad and frustrating. Children should never have access to a gun and that’s why it is imperative to secure your firearm in your home with a gunlock or inside a gun safe. My office provides free gunlocks at City Hall. I extend my deepest condolences to the child’s family and loved ones, please keep them in our prayers. This case is being investigated by our East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office.
