Boy dies after sibling finds handgun in Mom's purse

CROSSVILLE, Tenn. — A 7-year-old boy whose sibling found a loaded gun in Mom's purse died late Monday after he was shot in the head.

The child's mother and stepfather, who are from Sparta, Tenn., but whose names have not been released, left their four kids in the car at about 3:15 p.m. ET while they went inside a cellphone store here to pay a bill. One of the children found the semi-automatic pistol, tried to unload it and accidentally discharged it, according to police in this city of 11,000 about 70 miles west of Knoxville.

"You hear of things like that happening, but you never think it's going to happen, you know, in your town," said Marc Jones of Crossville.

The boy died a few hours after being flown to a Knoxville-area hospital for treatment.

The district attorney general's office that serves Cumberland County and the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services are investigating. Officials have not determined whether any charges will be filed.

Crossville Police described the incident as a "tragic accidental shooting."

Contributing: The Associated Press. Follow Kendall Morris on Twitter: @kendallWBIR

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