Tamarac boy, 6, found a gun and accidentally shot himself, Broward Sheriff’s Office says
A 6-year-old Tamarac boy who died from a bullet wound Monday accidentally shot himself with an unsecured gun, Broward Sheriff’s Office detectives say.
BSO deputies and Tamarac Fire Rescue paramedics found Odaine Hall dead inside an apartment at a condominium complex located at the 5600 block of Rock Island Road Monday around 3:30 p.m., said sheriff’s office spokeswoman Gerdy St. Louis.
He suffered from a single gunshot, she said.
Detectives say their preliminary investigation shows Odaine was being watched by his uncle and he found the gun and shot himself.
The shooting is still under investigation, St. Louis said Tuesday.
“BSO implores gun owners to properly secure their firearms and practice essential gun safety tips,” she said. “A firearm should always be unloaded and stored in a locked storage container that isn’t easily accessible to minors. Doing so protects children and adults by preventing unintentional shootings and incidents like this one.”
BSO has not released the name of the boy’s relatives.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 2003 and 2021, there were 1,262 unintentional firearm deaths in the United States among children between the ages of 0 and 17.
The majority of victims were shot inside a home, most inside their own house or apartment, according to the CDC.
Unintentional injury is the fourth leading cause of death among children, with firearms being the top method, the agency said.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
