A three-year-old boy died Thursday evening after shooting himself with a handgun inside a vehicle at a Burger King restaurant in Bartow, Florida, according to local law enforcement officials. The incident occurred while the child’s family was attempting to purchase dinner at the fast-food establishment’s drive-thru lane.
According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, the family had recently relocated from Connecticut to Florida four months prior to the tragedy. During the drive-thru visit, the family’s credit card declined, prompting the father to search for an alternative method to pay for the order.
Investigators stated that as the father bent over to check his payment cards, he removed a Glock handgun from his waistband and placed it onto the vehicle’s seat. While the father was distracted, the three-year-old child, who was unrestrained and playing in the backseat, reached the firearm and pulled the trigger.
Authorities reported that the father heard a loud pop before frantically running around the vehicle to check on his son. A bystander at the scene immediately called 911 to request emergency assistance.
First responders rushed the injured child to Lakeland Regional Health, where attending medical personnel pronounced him dead at 7:30 p.m. Sheriff Judd noted during statements to the public that the young boy was just four days away from celebrating his fourth birthday.
Detectives with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, who assisted the Bartow Police Department with the investigation, are transferring the gathered case information to the State Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors will review the evidence to evaluate whether any criminal charges are warranted in connection with the fatal shooting, though Sheriff Judd indicated that investigators currently see no immediate indication pointing toward criminal prosecution.
