The mother told police she heard footsteps approaching quickly so she fired a single shot. She then discovered the person was her 27-year-old daughter. The daughter was taken to a hospital where she died. Courtesy Fox News.

POLICE in Florida say a mother has mistaken her daughter for an intruder and shot her dead.

St. Cloud police Sergeant Denise Roberts said on Wednesday that the mother was asleep when she heard someone enter her home late on Tuesday.

The mother told police she heard footsteps approaching quickly so she fired a single shot. She then discovered the person was her 27-year-old daughter.

The daughter was taken to a hospital where she died.

St. Cloud Police officials say they aren’t releasing the names of the mother or daughter since a person in their household is in law enforcement, and Florida law permits the withholding of identities in such cases.

Detectives are investigating the case but say so far the mother’s story matches the evidence.

According to Gun Violence Archive, American averaged roughly 36 gun fatalities and 73 gun injuries each day this year. There were 27 people killed and 63 injured in shooting incidents on Christmas Day.