A Jackson, Miss. toddler was shot accidentally after her mother’s gun went off in a hospital emergency room.
The bullet grazed the 2-year-old girl’s face, leaving a superficial wound, according to USA Today.
The gun, which was in the mother’s purse, went off after the mother dropped the purse while standing by a vending machine, according to a Merit Health Central hospital spokeswoman. The bullet ricocheted off the machine and hit the child.
“This morning, an isolated incident involving the accidental discharge of a visitor’s weapon occurred on our campus,” hospitals officials said in a statement. “It was addressed quickly, preventing serious harm to the patient and risk to others in the hospital.”
Weapons are not allowed at the hospital, and a police investigation is ongoing to determine if the mother will be charged with a crime.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Cybersecurity Experts Are Sounding the Alarm on DOGE
- Meet the 2025 Women of the Year
- The Harsh Truth About Disability Inclusion
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Michelle Zauner Stares Down the Darkness
Contact us at letters@time.com