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In a statement Wednesday, Dec. 28, Lehigh County District Attorney James B. Martin said the boy, his 10-year-old brother, and the rest of the family were stopping by an aunt's house on the 600 block of North Front Street for a visit.
In the basement of the aunt's home lives her son, 24, who legally owns two 9 mm handguns, the DA said. The gun owner had his firearms out because he had recently been shooting and was planning on cleaning them when his relatives came by, Martin continued.
The 24-year-old rushed to hide the guns when he heard his younger cousins arrive because he thought they might come down to play his video games during the visit, the DA said.
Later, the boys did just that, and while the 24-year-old was upstairs visiting with the rest of the family, a gunshot was heard at about 7:30 p.m., Martin wrote.
The 11-year-old was rushed to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, where staff declared him dead at about 8:30 p.m.
No names have been revealed, and no charges will be filed because the death was unintentional, DA Martin said.
"This is a tragic accidental shooting and the 10-year-old boy will not be prosecuted, The 24-year-old gun owner is not being identified because he will not be prosecuted," he wrote.
"While a case can be made that the guns should have been placed into a lock box which was available, the investigation has disclosed that the owner did not want the boys to even see the guns and he made a good faith effort to hurriedly hide them," the DA continued.
"Unfortunately, they were discovered; and this tragic event occurred."
The child's autopsy is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 30.
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