Indiana Boy, 4, Dies After Being Shot in the Head While Play-Wrestling with His Dad
A 4-year-old boy died Thursday after suffering a gunshot wound to his head while play-wrestling with his father, according to police.
Around 8 p.m. last Sunday, Tyler Shaw and his son Tripp were pretend wrestling in their Indiana home when a handgun that was tucked away in Tyler’s pants fell and fired a single shot, police told IndyStar.
The bullet from the Glock semi-automatic handgun struck both Tyler, 36, and his son in the head, the outlet reported.
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Deputies from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and brought Tyler and Tripp to IU Health Bloomington Hospital, according to RTV6.
Tripp’s mother and 2-year-old sister were also in the home at the time of the incident, Sheriff Brad Swain told IndyStar.
Tyler was transferred to IU Health Methodist Hospital and Tripp to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis.
While Tyler is expected to recover, Tripp “passed away peacefully, surrounded by those who loved him most,” according to a GoFundMe page for the family.
A representative from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
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“It takes a village to help through an accidental tragedy. The Shaw family has been through so much in this situation,” a statement on the GoFundMe page reads.
According to IndyStar, the handgun has been sent for further testing as to why it fired unexpectedly.
“This case remains active by Monroe County Sheriff’s Office investigators,” according to a news release sent to the outlet. “It’s not known if any criminal charges will be filed in connection with the shooting.”
