Pierce County prosecutors investigating potential for charges in 3-year-old’s accidental shooting death

A 3-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed himself with a gun at a Tacoma gas station. (KING 5 News/JIM SCOTT)

Pierce County prosecutors plan to investigate the accidental shooting death of a boy in Tacoma.

“We take a vigorous approach to charging,” said Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. “But charges have to be supported by the evidence and so we’re going to have review all the evidence and all the facts.”

Authorities have ruled the 3-year-old’s death accidental.

The boy was killed after his parents stopped for gas early Wednesday. The young boy scrambled out of his child seat, found a gun police say was left in the car by his father and fatally shot himself in the head.

Tacoma police said his father put his pistol under a seat and got out to pump gas while the mother went inside the convenience store. The boy’s infant sister, who also was in the car, was not injured.

“Generally speaking, in a situation like this, we’ll look at possible charges that would include manslaughter and reckless endangerment,” said Lindquist.

Lindquist told 97.3 KIRO FM’s Dori Monson, that he can see the story from multiple angles since he is also a father and a gun owner. “I can’t imagine the worse penalty than the loss of a child.” However, in his role as Pierce County Prosecutor, he must consider the accountability to the community when deciding which charges to file, if any.

The Pierce County medical examiner has identified the boy as Julio Segura-McIntosh of Tacoma.

Washington does not have a law specifically concerning child access to firearms, but state law is very specific about carrying loaded pistols in vehicles.

A person with a concealed weapons permit may carry a gun in a car in Washington state, but is required to have it on his person. If they have to leave it in the car, the law says it must be locked and concealed from view.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.