2-year-old girl in critical condition after accidental shooting, Memphis police say

A 2-year-old girl was in critical condition Friday after what Memphis police say appears to be an accidental shooting.

The shooting was reported at about 9:10 a.m. Friday in the 5000 block of Wooddale near Clearbrook and Winchester, the fire department said.

Memphis police spokeswoman Karen Rudolph said the case is being investigated as an accidental shooting and that preliminary information indicated an adult was in possession of the gun when it went off.

She said a total of two adults and two children were at the house when the incident occurred. A relative appeared to be the person responsible for the shooting, she said. The two adults are being questioned.

Relatives and neighbors arrived to the scene Friday as police investigated.

"It's just sad," said Sandra Johnson, 50, whose daughter lives nearby. "There's too much going on in Memphis with the babies. We're losing too many kids. A 2-year-old. That's a toddler. I'm the grandmother of 13. I just can't imagine this."

Last year, the father of 3-year-old Kash Sharp was charged after Kash was found shot in the head at the New Horizon apartments, west of the Memphis International Airport. A 4-year-old girl, 4-year-old boy, 8-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy were also accidentally shot that summer.

At the scene Friday on Wooddale, Dorothy Jett, 61, said she was trying to get information on the 2-year-old girl who was shot, her goddaughter. She said the girl is named Chloe Marie Sanders.

"She just came out of surgery," she said.

Jett described the girl as "a sweet, itty bitty, tiny self ... like a little doll."

"I don't believe this ... I feel sick to my stomach, like I'm about to throw up," she said.

On Friday evening, she said the girl was still in intensive care, but doing all right.

The Memphis Police Department posted an announcement about gun safety Friday. Free gun locks are also available at Memphis’ community and senior centers starting this weekend.