A 5-year-old Nebraska boy is recovering after accidentally shooting himself with a gun that reportedly fell out of his father’s pocket while the two were at home, according to Omaha police.
Trae Colvin, 28, is now in custody on child abuse charges, Douglas County jail records show. Police say Colvin’s young son shot himself in the arm on Sunday after handling an unsecured firearm.
“Omaha Police arrested two people following an accidental shooting,” the department said in a statement. “Officers determined the victim was injured after handling an unsecured firearm.”
Investigators also cited the boy’s mother, along with Colvin’s fiancée, 27-year-old Gabrielle Gutierrez, for two misdemeanor counts of child neglect.
According to prosecutors, Colvin had placed the gun in the pocket of his sweatpants after driving home with his 5-year-old. When he later fell asleep on his bed — with both the 5-year-old and his 7-month-old child beside him — the gun allegedly slipped out. Court records indicate that Colvin believes the firearm fell onto the bed while he slept.
Colvin told police he didn’t hear the gunshot, but said it must have woken him up. According to WOWT, he saw his son “flailing” his arm as blood poured out. Instead of calling 911, Colvin reportedly placed the gun in a safe, left the house, and drove to his mother’s home. From there, he called the child’s mother to tell her what happened. He then picked her up from work and the three drove to the emergency room, the outlet reported.
Gutierrez told investigators that Colvin almost always carried the gun in his pocket or kept it within reach, and that it was rarely locked in a safe despite her repeated requests. The boy’s mother said she also knew her son had handled the gun before and had asked Colvin to keep firearms away from the children.
Fortunately, doctors say the bullet did not break any bones or leave fragments behind. “When I first saw him, my heart shattered,” Gutierrez told KETV. “I could tell he was hurting, but he was trying to be a brave boy.”
Child Protective Services has removed both children from the home while the investigation continues. The 5-year-old is expected to make a full recovery, authorities said.