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2-Year-Old Fatally Shot In Prince George's County

OXON HILL, Md. (WJZ) --A toddler is fatally shot in an apartment in Oxon Hill. Now Prince George's County Police are trying to piece together exactly what happened.

Adam May has the latest on the investigation.

This appears to be an accidental shooting , but police are investigating all the details.

It was a devastating night for a Prince George's County family. A 2-year-old boy finds a gun inside a Oxon Hill Road apartment.

The 911 caller said the boy shot himself in the head.

"Investigators need to determine whose gun it is and why it was in the house," said Cpl. Evan Baxter.

The child was rushed to a Washington, D.C. hospital and pronounced dead.

Now police have to determine if anyone will face criminal charges, answering questions such as "whether or not the guardian was negligent in letting the child alone in the room," Baxter said.

Every year hundreds of children in the United States are injured from accidental shootings, and dozens die.

Neighbors are shocked to see it happen here.

"It's really sad," said one neighbor. "I have a daughter, and it's just horrible."

"I can't even put into words," said another neighbor. "It's sad."

Some 3.3 million children live in households with guns. Accidental shootings are most common in late afternoons, summer and holidays when children are more likely unsupervised. Fifty percent occur in victim's homes; 40 percent at a friend or a relative's home.

Based on those statistics, The American Academy of Pediatrics says if you have children you should not have guns in your home. They say the risks are simply too great.

If you decide to risk it with children and keep guns in your house, the experts say you should keep the weapon and ammunition in two different locked locations.

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