LYNNWOOD—In a reminder of the critical importance of secure firearm storage in households with children, a 4-year-old boy in unincorporated Lynnwood accidentally shot his mother after accessing a loaded gun left unsecured by his sleeping father. The incident, which resulted in non-life-threatening injuries to the mother and minor injuries to the child.

South County Deputies arrived at the scene around 8:01 a.m. following reports of an assault with a weapon in the 3100 block of 164th St SW. They found that the 4-year-old boy had obtained the firearm and unintentionally discharged it, striking his 42-year-old mother in her upper left arm. She was promptly taken to Harborview Medical Center for treatment of serious but non-fatal injuries, while the young boy received care for minor wounds sustained in the event.
Investigators determined that the 4-year-old boy had taken the gun from his 44-year-old father, who was asleep on the couch at the time. Deputies observed several unsecured firearms scattered throughout the home, highlighting ongoing safety concerns.
The father was subsequently arrested on charges of reckless endangerment and unlawful firearm storage, and was booked into Snohomish County Jail. The family’s two children—a 4-year-old and a 9-year-old—were safely placed with relatives after the incident.

Author: Mario Lotmore