Two-Year-Old Fatally Shoots Woman With Handgun at Idaho Walmart, according to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, the 29-year-old woman was shopping with the 2-year-old boy and other family members when the shooting happened at about 10:20 a.m.
The tot was left alone in a shopping cart when he reached into the woman’s purse and discharged the weapon, cops said. Neither the woman nor the child have been identified.
“It appears to be a pretty tragic accident,” said Kootenai County sheriff’s spokesman Stu Miller.
Three other children were shopping with the pair at the time of the incident, which happened in the electronics section at the back of the store, police said.
The female victim had a concealed carry permit, authorities said. It is not clear what kind of handgun she was packing when the incident occurred.
The store was initially evacuated as police streamed into the shopping center, according to KHQ. It was soon closed to shoppers but is expected to reopen as early as Wednesday.
A Wal-Mart spokesperson said in a statement that the retail giant is working with local law enforcement during the investigation.
.@KHQLocalNews on scene at shooting at Hayden Walmart. Parking lot nearly cleared out. Store evacuated. pic.twitter.com/lAbCxj4VwF
— Cynthia Johnson (@cbjohnson2013) December 30, 2014
Pictures from the scene show the parking lot nearly empty as investigators piece together the chain of events that led to the child fatally shooting the woman.
The family is believed by police to have been from out of town and was visiting for the holidays.
Agencies/Canadajournal