Saint Paul police officers responding to a report of an injured child on the 800 block of Rice Street found a heartbreaking scene Wednesday afternoon—a 2-year-old boy suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.
A 911 caller asked for help at 1:12 p.m., reporting only that the boy had “hurt his head.” St. Paul Fire medics were the first to arrive at the third-floor apartment and find the child, who appeared to have been shot.
Medics immediately rendered aid and called for officers, who arrived a short time later. Sadly, the child died in an ambulance parked outside of the apartment building about eight minutes after the initial call for help.
Officers secured the apartment and brought three juveniles to police headquarters for questioning.
At this time, it is unclear who was holding the gun when it discharged. It is also possible there were other people in the apartment when the child was injured.
The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct an autopsy to determine an exact cause of death and possibly help investigators determine whether the shooting was accidental, intentional or self-inflicted.
In addition, the department’s Forensics Services Unit is collecting physical evidence from inside the apartment in an effort to determine what happened.
This is an active investigation. No further information is currently available. Any updates, including the child’s name, will be released on the police department’s Twitter page (@sppdmn).