COLUMBIA, S.C. — Richland County deputies say the shooting death of a 9-year-old boy was an accident that happened after he and another child were playing with a gun.
Officers issued an update late Tuesday afternoon on the shooting that had taken place the night before in Hopkins. The shooting killed Christopher Scott III.
Deputies say around 6:30 p.m. Monday, they got a call that a child had been shot in the 1000 block of Weston Road.
Investigators say based on what they've been able to determine, the little boy and another child took a gun from inside the home and were playing with it in a parked car outside. At some point, the gun went off, and hit the 9-year-old.
The other child then ran for help. Deputies say the mom took her child and put him in the car to start driving to the hospital. Officers were able to locate that car along Bluff Road while it was on the way to the emergency room, and pulled her over. Then then put the child and the mother in the patrol vehicle and kept driving. An incident report states at some point a short time later the child was taken the rest of the way to the hospital by a Columbia Police Officer.
The child was pronounced dead at the hospital.
“This is a tragic situation and our hearts are broken for this family,” Sheriff Lott said in a statement. “We ask the community to keep them in their thoughts.”
“These kinds of accidents happen in an instant and we plead with parents to please, please make sure that firearms are locked up inside the home.”
The sheriff's department said no charges will be filed.
Richland School District One confirmed Scott was a fourth-grader at Hopkins Elementary School.
“We were shocked and saddened to learn that one of our students was killed last night," Richland One Superintendent Dr. Craig Witherspoon said in a statement. "Our District Crisis Team was at the school today to provide support and counseling to students and staff as needed. We extend our condolences to Christopher’s family. Particularly during this holiday season which is normally a time of joy, we ask everyone to join us in keeping his family in your thoughts and prayers as they mourn.”