4-Year-Old Boy Shot In Westmoreland Co.

ARNOLD (KDKA) – A child in Westmoreland County was injured while playing with a gun.

The incident happened at a home at 2015 Kenneth Avenue in Arnold around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The victim was a 4-year-old boy named Anthony Alexander.

"And I heard two big bangs like, 'Bang!' 'Bang!' and I'm thinking they're fireworks," Eric Squaire, a neighbor, said.

The boy's aunt, Yvette Alexander, lives in the rented house with her two teenage sons. She babysits for her toddler nephew while his mother works.

"I have no clue yet until I get down there," Kevin Alexander, the child's uncle, told KDKA-TV.

Arnold Police Chief William Weber says Anthony and a 6-year-old boy were in a bedroom and found the gun on a nightstand.

Anthony picked up the gun and started to play with it when it accidentally discharged, hitting him in the left eye.

The 4-year-old was first taken to an urgent care facility before being transferred to Children's Hospital where he underwent surgery.

Police are still investigating who owns the gun and why it was left in the child's reach.

KDKA's Christine D'Antonio reports:

Neighbors say the house sees a lot of in and out traffic day and night.

Squaire says his daughter often plays with the injured 3-year-old. He says he's sick over what happened.

"All I can say is the gun shouldn't have been in the house," he said. "It wouldn't have happened if the gun wasn't there."

The 4-year-old's condition has not been released at the request of his family.

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