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4-year-old flown to SLC hospital after accidental shooting in Vernal

Posted at 3:09 PM, Jan 26, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-26 17:09:51-05

VERNAL, Utah — A 4-year-old boy was flown to a hospital in critical condition after an accidental shooting at a home in Vernal Thursday morning.

According to the Uintah County Sheriff’s Office, emergency responders were called to a Vernal home on report of a 4-year-old with a gunshot wound.

Investigators believe the boy, who was at home with other family members at the time, climbed some shelves in a closet and gained access to a loaded handgun. At some point the child discharged the handgun, suffering a gunshot wound to the chest.

Crews were on scene within minutes, the press release states, and the boy was taken to Ashley Regional Medical Center, where he received treatment prior to being airlifted to Salt Lake City via helicopter.

As of Thursday night, the child was in stable condition.

The incident remains under investigation.

“Our thoughts are with the child and his family as we hope and pray for a full recovery,” the press release concludes.