4-year-old wounded in Durham after finding gun

DURHAM -- A 4-year-old boy was shot this morning in a home at 14 Brightfield Lane after finding an unsecured gun, police said.

A preliminary investigation indicated the boy found the gun and it went off, a police spokeswoman said.

The boy was taken to Duke University Hospital, where he was being treated Friday evening. His condition was not available.

At 8:38 a.m., Durham police received a call about a 4-year-old boy who had suffered a gunshot wound, they said.

The child's mother reported the incident, police said. It was initially believed to be a child who had hurt himself falling off a counter, but Emergency Medical Services personnel who went to the house called police.

The type of gun involved has not been disclosed.

"This tragic incident reinforces the need for gun safety and the proper securing of firearms," said Durham Police Chief Jose L. Lopez Sr.

The house is in the Ashfield Place subdivision off Guess Road, north of the city's West Point on the Eno park. Homes in the area are new, many built in the past few years.