Oregon Toddler Shot Himself Dead While Playing with Loaded Gun: ‘It’s Tough’

A 3-year-old boy killed himself with apparent gunshot with a weapon he found in a bedroom drawer. 

The little boy has died as he shoots himself at his family home in the U.S. On Friday, October 9, police were called to the Aloha Oregon home due to a report that a boy had shot himself in the head. 

The three-year-old James Kenneth Lindquester had got the handgun out of a bedroom end table drawer and fired it to himself in the head; the family members told the police. James Kenneth was taken to the hospital, but he later died, as per 7News. 

Up to this day, James' family did not release a statement, but they have approved and provided a photo of the boy. According to the detectives, the scene where the incident happened was a difficult place to respond to. 

 Shannon Wilde, Washington County Deputy, told KOMO News, "I think if you ask any first responder, the death of a child is the absolute worst call that we go to." The deputy added that it is challenging, especially for a lot of parents themselves who are responders on the scene to the incident last night and have children, some even have the same age children as the little boy, and it's hard. 

Wilde also said, "We see a lot of horrible things but seeing a child in that situation is the worst."

According to the 7News report, the investigation is ongoing, and there have been no charges laid. 

The sheriff's office explained that James Kenneth Lindquester shot himself in the head with a loaded handgun in a bedroom. His family immediately called 911, and he was rushed to the hospital. Deputies say that even if there have been no charges filed, the decision will be up to the district attorney. 

James' remains will undergo an autopsy to be conducted at the Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office. According to the first responders, incidents similar to this are not common in Washington County. However, when it happens, it is extremely hard to handle. The deputies encourage gun owners to keep their firearms locked up and stored far from children's reach to prevent the same case like this from happening again, as per Hawaii News Now.

In late September, another minor was involved in a reported Salem hostage situation. The Oregon State Police confirmed that an 11-year-old boy was dead in the hostage. 

According to KPTV, the suspect in the standoff was identified by the Marion County Sheriff's office as Jose Jesus Lopez-Tinoco. 

The body of Lopez-Tinoco, an unidentified 11-year-old boy, was found by the deputies inside a house. Lopez-Tinoco appeared to have self-inflicted gunshot wound, as per KOIN. 

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