A little boy was killed in what police believe to be an accidental shooting this morning at his home in Moulton.

The incident happened on Lawrence County 181. The home is just outside the Moulton city limits, but is included in the city's police jurisdiction.

"We are still early in the investigation, but we believe this to be accidental," police Chief Lyndon McWhorter told AL.com.

The chief said so far the investigation suggests the child's parent had a gun "in a high place in the house," but the 4-year-old boy apparently climbed to get it.

"It looks like he might have been playing with it and it discharged and struck the child," McWhorter said.

The chief said a preliminary autopsy should be complete later this week.

"It's very, very tragic," the chief said. "When it's small children, those are cases you take home with me."

McWhorter said the child was pronounced dead at Lawrence Medical Center.