3-year-old shoots herself in the eye in Philadelphia home: Police

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A 3-year-old girl was shot in Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood on Saturday afternoon.

Officers say it happened at a home on the 500 block of East Chelten Avenue.

Sources tell Action News the girl found her father's unsecured gun and shot herself in the eye.

The child was transported in a private vehicle to Einstein Medical Center and was listed in extremely critical condition.

She has since been airlifted to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children.

A weapon was recovered, and a man has been taken into custody for questioning, according to police.

Action News spoke with Richard Vona, a local firearms expert about this incident. He said what happened was horrific and preventable.

"A lot of times people think, 'I'll hide the gun so it's in a drawer, it's in my sock drawer, and that'll make it safe.' Kids will find it every time," noted Vona.

Police did not say where the child found the gun inside the home.

Vona says this incident serves as a reminder of how important proper firearm storage is.

"Virtually every firearm that you purchase today comes with a gun lock, it's a requirement for the sale of a firearm," he said.

Many police and sheriff departments, even various community groups, offer gun locks for free.

"There's no reason for us to have unsecured firearms in the house with children," said Vona.

Police are still investigating why the gun was not secured.

Vona, who has been around firearms for 50 years, emphasized the gravity of gun ownership, especially in a home with small children.

"That is the number one thing, if you choose to own a firearm it is your responsibility to use it safely, to maintain it safely, and to store it safely," he said.