National Police and MP investigate the death of a 7-year-old boy due to accidental shooting in Boca Chica

Santo Domingo. – The National Police reported this Saturday that, together with the Public Ministry, investigates the circumstances in which a 7-year-old boy died after being shot with a homemade weapon, allegedly accidentally fired by his 11-year-old brother, in an event that occurred in the Los Tanquecitos sector, in the municipality of Boca Chica. The victim’s name was withheld by the authorities. According to the medical diagnosis and the death certificate, the minor died from a contact wound to the neck. The body was removed at the Municipal Hospital of Andrés, Boca Chica. According to the preliminary report, the incident occurred on the afternoon of Friday, March 27, when the 11-year-old boy allegedly found a homemade “chagón”-type weapon in a vacant lot near his home, while taking care of some goats. Subsequently, he took the device to the family residence.

Investigations indicate that, once inside one of the rooms of the house, the shot was fired under circumstances that are still under investigation.

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The children’s mother reported that she was in the house when she heard a detonation. Upon arriving at the scene, she found the injured child on the ground, so she immediately took him to a health center, where he later died. After the fact, an older brother, 17 years old, would have thrown the weapon out a window towards the back of the house. The artifact was recovered by the authorities and, according to the report, contained a 12-gauge cartridge already fired. It is currently in the custody of the Scientific Police for analysis purposes. The minor’s body was sent to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) for the corresponding procedures. Meanwhile, the 11-year-old was provisionally handed over to his relatives by order of the Public Ministry and will be presented before the Prosecutor’s Office for Children and Adolescents (NNA) of Santo Domingo Este, which will continue with the investigations of the case. Authorities reported that they are deepening the investigations to fully clarify what happened.