WHITESTOWN, Ind. — A child was critically injured in an "accidental" shooting at a hotel in Whitestown late Tuesday.
The shooting happened shortly before 11 p.m. March 19 at the WoodSpring Suites on Perry Worth Road, near Whitestown Parkway and South Indianapolis Road.
A 1-year-old boy was shot in the stomach when his father, a 22-year-old Whitestown man, said he was cleaning a gun in a hotel room, trying to take the magazine out when the gun went off, hitting his son.
Police said they were able to get the bleeding under control, and medics took him to a hospital. Wednesday morning, police provided an update and said the boy is in "critical but stable condition."
"All those involved in this incident are cooperating with WMPD Detectives as they continue their ongoing investigation," police said.
This type of incident is not uncommon, according to Everytown, a nonprofit advocating for education on gun violence and prevention.
According to Everytown, shootings are the leading cause of death in children and teens in Indiana.
"We've got to do more, and we've got to do better," said Democratic State Sen. Andrea Hunley, explaining that for lawmakers, that starts with legislation.
Hunley authored a bill this past session that, among other measures, would have required gun dealers to post signs in their stores warning that guns are a health and safety risk to children.
"It did not get a hearing, not at all," Hunley said of Senate Bill 66.
Hunley was just one of a handful of lawmakers who proposed laws dealing with firearm safety this year.
None of these proposed laws got hearings.
"I think anytime we create any regulations around firearms, there's a narrative out there that we're trying to take guns away. That's not what we're trying to do — not by any stretch of the imagination," Hunley said.
At this point, it's not certain if the child's father could face any charges because of what happened.