Gun Left Unattended, Fired by Two-Year-Old... Woman in Her Twenties Fatally Shot in Brazil

Increase in Firearm Accidents in Brazil Since 2019
Brazilian Government Expected to Accelerate Firearm Crackdown

An incident occurred in Brazil where a woman in her twenties is presumed to have died from a gunshot accidentally fired by her two-year-old son. On June 16, Yonhap News, citing local Brazilian media such as G1, reported that the Brazilian police are investigating the husband of the victim, who is also the owner of the firearm, in connection with the recent fatal shooting that took place in the state of Mato Grosso in central-western Brazil.

In Brazil, an incident occurred where a woman in her twenties is presumed to have died from a gunshot fired accidentally by her two-year-old son. Pixabay

The accident happened on June 13 in Rondon?polis, Mato Grosso. At the time, the two-year-old child was handling a 9mm pistol that had been left on a yard table and accidentally fired it at his mother, who was sitting nearby. The child's mother sustained injuries to her chest and arm and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, but ultimately passed away. The mother, who was 27 years old, reportedly stood up in shock immediately after being shot, wandered briefly, and then collapsed. The entire situation was captured on a nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera.

The police confirmed that the owner of the pistol involved in the accident was the victim's husband and the child's father. G1 reported, "The victim's husband had legally purchased and registered the firearm," adding, "Although sales were restricted again in 2023, those who acquired firearms before the restriction can continue to possess them." The police believe the child accidentally discharged the weapon and are investigating the father, who is both the victim's husband and the child's father, on charges of involuntary manslaughter and violation of firearm storage regulations.

Brazil is a country where firearm-related deaths are not uncommon. In particular, since 2019, when the purchase and possession of firearms became relatively easier, the number of accidental fatalities has increased. According to the statistics site World Population Review, as of 2021, Brazil ranked third in the world for accidental firearm deaths, following Venezuela and Iraq. As firearm-related incidents and accidents have become more frequent, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, after launching his third term in January 2023, signed an executive order in July of the same year to strictly regulate civilian ownership and use of firearms after a review by relevant agencies. Local media predict that, in light of this recent incident, government authorities will further accelerate efforts to control and crack down on firearms.