A young girl was shot in the head at a home in Shively on Tuesday afternoon.

A MetroSafe official confirmed a juvenile was shot around 3:06 p.m. Tuesday in the 2200 block of Crums Lane.

Shively Police Lt. Col. Josh Myers said the girl, believed to be 7, was taken from the Shively apartment to Norton Children's Hospital.

She remained in critical but stable condition after undergoing surgery, Myers said Wednesday.

Myers said that based off preliminary information, it appears the child was accidentally shot.

Myers said the girl and her 11-year-old brother were in the home alone while their guardian, their uncle, was just outside. A handgun was found by the brother, Myers said, and the girl suffered one gunshot wound while the two children were playing with it.

Myers said it was not immediately clear who was holding the gun at the time of the shooting. He added that he had been told the gun was in a "secure box of some form" that was under a bed in the home.

The shooting was "a horrible accident, and it's one that should not happen," Myers said.

No charges are pending but they could be filed after the investigation, he said. He added that he did not know if the two children were students of Jefferson County Public Schools.

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Reporter Matthew Glowicki can be reached at 502-582-4989 or mglowicki@courier-journal.com. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/mattg.