5-year-old's shooting death inside Gary home ruled accidental: coroner

GARY, Ind. - An investigation is underway after a five-year-old boy died from a gunshot wound in Gary Wednesday morning. 

The boy was identified Friday by the Indiana Lake County Coroner's Office as Edan Johnson. 

The shooting occurred in the 2400 block of Fillmore Street around 8 a.m.

According to Gary police, a 32-year-old man arrived early Wednesday morning at the residence after a night out and entered the home believing that he was alone. He placed his handgun down and fell asleep. 

The man then said he was awakened by a loud noise and saw that the 5-year-old child was shot and believed the child accidentally shot himself.

The man picked up the child, placed him on his lap and drove to the hospital to seek treatment.

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The child died as a result of his injuries and the man was detained. 

The man, who has not been identified, said he was given permission from adults who reside at the residence to visit the home and check on a 17-year-old girl and the five-year-old boy while the adults were away. 

The coroner's office ruled the death as an accident. 

Gary Mayor Jerome A. Prince released the following statement on the incident.

"It is with deep sadness that we mourn the tragic loss of a five-year-old child due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound. This incident is shocking and heartbreaking, and it serves as a painful reminder of the urgent need for responsible gun ownership and safety measures to protect our most vulnerable. We must come together, no matter what our differences, to promote comprehensive gun safety education and enforce stringent safeguards to prevent such devastating accidents from occurring in the future."