Wake child accidentally shoots her mother, sending her to hospital, sheriff’s office says

A Wake County woman remained hospitalized Monday after being accidentally shot by her own child, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies responded Sunday morning to a report of a handgun that had been accidentally discharged on Privette Road near Wendell, which is east of Raleigh, according to a news release.

The woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a juvenile fired the gun through the wall, the release stated.

The Sheriff’s Office did not release the juvenile’s age Monday afternoon but a spokesperson for the office said the woman was the juvenile’s mother.

“At this point in the investigation, it appears to have been accidental,” the release stated.

The N&O has requested 911 calls and dispatch recordings, which are public records, to learn more about the shooting.

The Sheriff’s Office is also investigating how the juvenile got the gun and how many shots were fired, according to the spokesperson.

How to properly store guns

Last fall two toddlers in Johnston County died after finding guns and accidentally shooting themselves, The N&O previously reported:

▪ In October a 2-year-old boy in Benson fatally shot himself while playing with a loaded handgun he found in his father’s truck.

▪ In November, a 2-year-old boy in Four Oaks fatally shot himself with a gun he found in the family home. The gun belonged to his father.

The N&O recently reported on best practices for safe gun storage, which studies show can reduce firearm injuries and deaths.

▪ Make sure no one but the owner can get access to the firearm.

▪ Store firearms unloaded, and keep guns and ammunition separate..

▪ Put firearms in a locked place or secure them with a gun lock.

With guns on campus on the rise, what gun owners should know about NC’s laws