A 14-year-old girl in the District died from a gunshot injury Wednesday after, police say, she accidentally shot herself while trying to shoot a video for social media.
Officers arrived at an apartment in the 1700 block of Benning Road Northeast and found the girl wounded in her torso, the Metropolitan Police Department said in a release. They attempted to save her life but she died of her injuries.
The initial investigation of the incident indicates that the victim, who has not been publicly named by authorities, was attempting to record the video while holding a gun when it went off. The video was not being streamed live at the time of the accident, police told WDVM-TV.
There were other people inside the apartment including adults, the police said. The gun was also recovered.
“This is a devastating reminder of the dangers of weapons getting into the hands of young people in our city, and our hearts go out to the family and friends of the decedent. Firearms are not toys or props and they must be properly secured in a place where they can only be accessed by lawful gun owners,” MPD Chief Pamela Smith said.
