Tresa Baldas

Detroit Free Press

For the fourth time in recent months, gunfire has claimed the life of a metro Detroit child — this one a 9-year-old boy who found a gun in his house while home alone with two other kids.

Police said they do not yet know whether the boy accidentally shot himself, or if another child fired the weapon -- only that the shooting appeared to be accidental and that the boy was shot in the chest area.

According to police, the shooting happened at about 4:40 p.m. today in the 16100 block of Northlawn. The 9-year-old victim was home with a 13-year-old and a 10-year-old when a handgun was discovered, police said.

The gun went off, striking the 9-year-old boy, said police, noting they will not know if the shooting was self-inflicted pending the medical examiner's findings, which could be available within 48 hours.

"It's very early on in the investigation to be making any kind of claim," said Detroit Police Sgt. Michael Woody, noting police "are being told" the shooting was self-inflicted, but they don't know that for sure.

Police said no adults were present at the home during this incident, but the victim's mother was notified after the shooting. Police said they knew where the mother was at the time, but would not disclose that information.

Police said, at this point, it does not appear the mother or anyone else will face any charges.

Police said the shooting remains under investigation.

Last month, a 3-year-old girl was shot and killed in a Detroit home following a tiff that started on Facebook.

In September, a 7-year-old girl was shot in the chest as she rode her bike in northeast Detroit. The girl, who survived with serious injuries, was caught in the crossfire of a shooting involving two cars.

In July, a 9-year-old boy died after a stray bullet entered his bedroom while he slept. That same month, a 2-year-old was shot point-blank at an Inkster housing project by a man whom police say was retaliating against her father for something and wanted to see him suffer.

Please return to Freep.com for more details on this latest shooting.