A one-year-old girl has been shot and killed by her three-year-old sibling in California.
The incident was reported at 7.30am local time on Monday when the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department received a call about a shooting at a home in Fallbrook, about 56 miles north of San Diego.
They said that deputies arrived and confirmed a toddler had managed to get hold of an “unsecured handgun” and the one-year-old had sustained a head injury.
Neither of the children are being named at this point.
The sheriff’s department said: “Fire department personnel arrived on scene and transported her to Palomar Hospital. Despite lifesaving efforts, she was pronounced deceased at about 8.30am.
“The sheriff’s department extends our sympathies to the family and those affected by this death.
“Sheriff’s homicide investigators are working to gather more information to determine the circumstances of the death. There are no outstanding suspects and there is no threat to the community. The investigation is ongoing.”
The statement added that the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office had been notified of the incident and an autopsy was scheduled to determine the cause and manner of death.
