A 6-year-old New Jersey boy has died after being shot in the head with a rifle by his 4-year-old neighbor, a law enforcement source says.
Brandon Holt died at Jersey Shore Medical Center, where he was taken with a bullet lodged in his brain Monday evening, police said. He had been playing in the younger boy's yard when he was shot.
It's not clear if the 4-year-old pulled the trigger or if the rifle accidentally discharged.
Authorities said the two boys were outside the 4-year-old's home in Toms River when the gun, a .22-caliber rifle, went off at about 7 p.m. The parents were nearby and heard the shot; the boy's mother called 911.
The victim's aunt, Danella Magiera, told NBC 4 New York the bullet went through the back of his head and became lodged in his brain; doctors had tried to keep the brain swelling down, she said.
Toms River Police Chief Michael Mastronardy said the boy was shot from 15 yards away.
Police are investigating how the younger child obtained the rifle from his family's home on McCormick Drive. Authorities said it wasn't known if the rifle was registered to anyone who lives there. It apparently was not the only firearm in the house, according to neighbors in the child-friendly neighborhood.
"I'm angry about the dad that had these guns in the house," said neighbor Debi Coto. "They took more out last night."
Multiple law enforcement sources said the 4-year-old boy and his two siblings have names associated with hunting terms.
Investigators have not detailed what was removed from the home after the shooting Monday night. The case is being turned over to the Atlantic County prosecutor's office because of a "relationship issue" with a former employee of the Ocean County prosecutor's office and the family of the 4-year-old boy, a law enforcement source said.
Magiera said the 4-year-old boy is the youngest of three children. His family recently moved to the home on McCormick Drive, which is a few doors down from where her nephew lives, she said.
The incident has brought a new reality check for parents whose children go to play at neighbors' homes.
"My sister said she would actually ask, 'Do you have guns, are they locked up?' Because you never know today. You never know," said Coto.
The investigation is ongoing.