PENN HILLS, PA – On November 22, 2021 at approximately 5:33 PM, officers of the Penn Hills Police Department responded to a call to a shooting incident in the 100 block of the Prescott Drive. The victim, a 5-year-old male, sustained a single gunshot wound and was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Officers of the Penn Hills Police Department requested the assistance of the Allegheny County Police Homicide Unit.
Preliminary investigation shows that three young children were left unsupervised in a bedroom where a unsecured firearm was located. Homicide detectives and Penn Hills Police are investigating.
Detectives discovered evidence suggesting that a 6-year-old sibling accidentally shot the victim while handling an unsecured firearm present inside the residence. The firearm appears to be legally owned by a parent who is cooperating with the investigation. As detectives continue to investigate, the facts of the case will be presented to the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office (DA) for determination of culpability. As the facts will be turned over to the DA, the ACPD will have no further information for the general public. As with any major incident involving children, official notification has been made to Allegheny County Children, Youth, and Families (CYF).