Watch CBS News

5-Year-Old Injured In Eastpointe Accidental Shooting; Gun Safety Instructor Says Lock Up Your Guns

(CBS DETROIT) -- A 5-year-old boy was injured in Eastpointe after he accidentally shot himself in the foot.

Police say the boy found the gun, which belonged to his uncle, underneath the couch.

The uncle, Laron Genta Alston, 42, is in police custody on child abuse charges.

The incident marks the third time a child was injured or killed in an accidental shooting in the Detroit Metro area.

Dashika Hill owns Dnique Safety. She teaches people how to use a gun and how to properly store it.

"One of the things I teach in my class is if an adult has a child in the home with a firearm, you take extra precautions," she said. "So being conscious of where that firearm is, making sure it is locked and loaded, if you're not ready to use it, if it's not ready to be used at that point, it should be locked. It should be on unload it and it should be put out of reach of any unauthorized person."

Hill personally knows the importance of gun safety. Her God brother was killed in 2020 after a friend accidentally shot him.

"It was unexpected. He didn't mean to. But it goes to show being irresponsible has tragedy behind it."

She said an easy, cheap and responsible way to secure a gun is by buying a gun lock. It's something she gives to every student she teaches. It's also a state law for every federally licensed dealer to give one to a person who purchases a gun.

Hill says it's a simple, but life-saving tool gun owners, especially parents should use.

© 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.