Toddler Wounds Both Parents With Handgun From Mother’s Purse

Editorial use onlyClose up of new Glock 17 pistol. UK Armed Forces Issued New Glock 17 Handguns - 09 Jan 2013 The MOD has signed a GBP 9m contract to provide the Armed Forces with more than 25,000 new Glock sidearm... Editorial use onlyClose up of new Glock 17 pistol. UK Armed Forces Issued New Glock 17 Handguns - 09 Jan 2013 The MOD has signed a GBP 9m contract to provide the Armed Forces with more than 25,000 new Glock sidearms. Personnel across all three Services will begin to recieve the new Glock 17s in the coming weeks and troops deployed to Afghanistan will be among the first to use the new weapon. The Glock pistol will replace the Browning which after being used by the Armed Forces for more than 40 years. (Rex Features via AP Images) MORE LESS
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A 3-year-old boy found a handgun in his mother’s purse and fired just one shot that wounded both his parents at an Albuquerque motel on Saturday, police said.

According to investigators, the toddler apparently reached for an iPod but found the loaded weapon. Police believe the shooting to be accidental.

The bullet first struck his father in the buttock and then hit the right shoulder of his mother, who is eight months pregnant, police said. His 2-year-old sister was present but unhurt.

Both injuries are non-life threatening, authorities said.

Justin Reynolds told KOB-TV (http://goo.gl/gRCXe0) that he and his girlfriend, Monique Villescas, were getting ready to order pizza when the toddler fired the shot.

“It was like if I was to get up shake your hand and sat back down. That’s how fast it happened,” Reynolds said.” All of a sudden we heard a gun go off and the next minute I realized my girlfriend was bleeding. Then, I sat down and realized I was shot, too.”

Reynolds said he called 911 and grabbed some towels to try to stop her bleeding.

“I was more worried about my girlfriend than myself and anything else that was going on. And my son because I didn’t know if he had shot himself or not,” said Reynolds. “He was shocked and crying. It was traumatizing.”

Police said in a statement that the father was treated and released, while the mother was hospitalized in stable condition.

“This case will be forwarded to the DA’s office and pending charges of felony criminal negligence will be reviewed on both parents,” Albuquerque police Simon Drobik spokesman said.

The Albuquerque Journal reports that the family was living in a room at the America’s Best Value Inn where the shooting occurred.

Police said child care officials are taking care of the children.

Jonathan Hutson, a spokesman for the Washington-based Brady Campaign and Center to Prevent Gun Violence, said the shooting should serve as a reminder to all parents to keep guns locked away securely.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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