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A woman is facing child endangerment charges after a toddler found a gun in her purse and accidentally fired it at a Walmart store in southern Ohio last week, police said.
According to the Waverly Police Department, a woman told officers who responded to the scene just after 11 a.m. Thursday that her 2-year-old boy had pulled a Taurus 9mm gun from his bag and opened fire.
Police said the bullet lodged in the store’s ceiling and the child suffered a minor injury to his forehead “from contact with the magazine.”
The woman, whose name has not been released, was taken into custody and charged in Pike County Court with child endangerment, police said.
The boy was released into the care of his parents and taken to an urgent care facility, police said.
In a statement posted on its Facebook page, Waverly Police said incidents like this “highlight the need for increased awareness and safety measures,” adding that the department “encourages responsible firearm ownership, especially when children are in tow. “It emphasizes the importance of preservation.”