Twelve-year-old boy shot dead by another child handling his mother's police firearm in Rosario, Colonia
A twelve-year-old teenager died in Rosario after being shot by an eleven-year-old boy who was playing with the regulation weapon of his mother, a National Police officer.
Twelve-year-old boy shot dead by another child handling his mother's police firearm in Rosario, Colonia
A minor aged twelve lost his life during Sunday afternoon in Rosario, a town in the department of Colonia, as a result of a bullet wound that occurred when a nine-year-old playmate fired the firearm belonging to his mother, who works for the National Police.
The tragic incident took place at a house located on 25 de Agosto street, at the intersection with Cerrito and Leopoldo Fuica, according to a report published by El Observador. Paulo Costa, the top official of the security force in that jurisdiction, made public statements about the case on Monday.
The senior police officer stated that responsibility rests with the adults in charge and specified that investigations seek to establish the culpability of the parents of the child who fired the weapon. "We are saddened that a member of our institution appears to be partly responsible," Costa said.
Colonia's police department requested an expedited investigation, which will later be expanded and will likely lead to a disciplinary proceedings. The official clarified that, with respect to the minor who fired the shot, no criminal infraction is constituted, since current legislation on minors sets the age of criminal responsibility at thirteen years old.
The local public prosecutor's office is carrying out the inquiry, whilst a Family Court is involved in the proceedings, considering that there is no culpable subject given the young age of the person involved. In parallel, the Police Headquarters opened an administrative file to evaluate the conduct of the officer.
_Source: El Observador_
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