Boy, 3, dies after he grabbed gun and shot himself as dad tried to pay for Burger King

Boy, 3, dies after he grabbed gun and shot himself as dad tried to pay for Burger King Police said a three-year-old picked up his father's loaded gun while his dad tried to resolve a declined card payment. Officers and hospital staff attempted to save him, but he died that evening A three-year-old boy died days before his fourth birthday after accidentally shooting himself with his dad’s gun. The little boy was in the backseat of a car outside a Burger King in Bartow, Florida, when he picked up the loaded weapon on Thursday evening, according to police. His father, who was legally permitted to carry a firearm, had been trying to sort out a problem paying for their dinner. The family had moved from Connecticut to central Florida just four months earlier. They were preparing to celebrate the youngster’s fourth birthday the following week. To see more of the stories you love from The Mirror and to find them easily in Google then make us your preferred source. Free and easy-to-do, just click on the link here to find more from The Mirror at the top of your feed. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the father was still in shock as investigators tried to establish what happened. He said: “At this point in the investigation, we think dad took the gun out. He laid it down. He doesn’t remember where – he is still in a state of shock. “And while he’s trying to figure out how to pay for dinner with a credit card, the child obviously sees the gun, picks it up and is playing with it, and shoots himself in the face. This is a horrible tragedy, and that’s all the indication that we see at this point in time.” Police said the father’s credit card payment had been declined at the drive-thru. He parked nearby to resolve the problem and removed a Glock handgun from his waistband, leaving it inside the vehicle. According to Sheriff Judd, the weapon had become uncomfortable as the father leaned forward. Investigators believe his son picked it up while playing in the backseat, without his dad realising what was happening. Sheriff Judd added: “[The father] was doing the best he could. The child was in the backseat playing and he had absolutely no clue. At least, according to the initial information. Until he hears the pop.” Investigators reviewed restaurant CCTV showing the father getting out of the car and running around after the shot. A woman in a nearby vehicle was also seen getting out and calling 911. Officers discovered a bullet hole through the car’s roof. The shooting happened at the restaurant on East Van Fleet Drive at around 6.23pm. Responding officers began efforts to save the boy before he was rushed to Lakeland Regional Health. Hospital staff continued treating him, but he was pronounced dead at around 7.30pm. Sheriff Judd said the father held a concealed-weapons permit. He also said both parents were cooperating with investigators and had no known criminal history. He added legal action could not be taken for at least seven days. Based on the initial findings, he said there was “no appetite” to pursue criminal charges. The findings would be submitted to the State Attorney’s Office, which would decide whether charges should be brought. Authorities stressed that the account remained preliminary as officers continued interviewing witnesses and examining evidence.