TAMPA, Fla. – A three-year-old boy accidentally shot himself with a handgun left unsecured in a bed on Tuesday, according to the Tampa Police Department. The incident, which took place on the 3600 block of North 51st Street, led to the arrest of 30-year-old Steve Johnson.
According to investigators, the child was in bed with his mother and Johnson around 7:14 p.m. when Johnson reportedly got up to use the bathroom. Police say he left a firearm sitting in the bedding. During those few moments, the toddler reached for the weapon, causing it to fire. The bullet struck the boy in his forearm.
The mother immediately provided first aid while calling 911. Emergency responders arrived shortly after and transported the child to a local hospital. Fortunately, the medical staff listed his injuries as stable and non-life-threatening.
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As detectives processed the scene, they discovered that Johnson is a convicted felon, making his possession of the gun illegal. Along with the weapon, officers recovered additional evidence and a small amount of marijuana.
“It is incredibly fortunate that this was not a fatal tragedy,” Chief Lee Bercaw said in a statement. “This incident highlights the double danger of a convicted felon unlawfully possessing a firearm and then failing to secure it. A gun should never be within reach of a child. There is no excuse for such negligence when the cost could easily have been a young life.”
Johnson was taken into custody and booked into the Orient Road Jail. He now faces several charges, including being a felon in possession of a firearm, child neglect resulting in great bodily harm, failure to safely store a firearm, and possession of cannabis.
The Tampa Police Department confirmed that the investigation remains open as they finalize the case details.
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