An 8-year-old boy tragically lost his life on Tuesday morning after accidentally shooting himself in the head the previous evening. The incident occurred in a vehicle parked outside a Maverik convenience store in Lehi, Utah. The boy’s identity has not been disclosed.
Lehi police responded to the shooting report shortly before 7:40 p.m. on Monday. According to police spokeswoman Jeanteil Livingston, the child had accidentally shot himself. An officer on duty was among the first to arrive at the scene, where he and several bystanders attempted to save the boy’s life before he was transported to a nearby hospital. He was later airlifted to another hospital along the Wasatch Front.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation. Doug Shields, a witness who was present at the convenience store during the incident, recounted the harrowing scene. He described the boy’s mother frantically calling for help and the sight of the young boy covered in blood. Shields and another man assisted the mother, who briefly lost consciousness before explaining the tragic accident.
According to Shields, the mother revealed that the boy had found the gun under her seat and accidentally discharged it. Lehi Police Sgt. Jeff Smith emphasized the incident as a heartbreaking reminder of the importance of gun safety and ensuring that children do not have easy access to firearms.
This tragic incident follows closely on the heels of another similar accident. Just over a week ago, a 5-year-old boy from Santaquin died from an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound after discovering a 9 mm handgun in a back bedroom. Additionally, last week, a woman from Magna was charged with aggravated child abuse after her 3-year-old son shot himself in the foot with a gun she had left on a shelf. “It’s super tragic,” Smith said. “We hate responding to these types of things.”