Officials: 3-year-old shot after being left alone in car with gun in Caln Township

NEW HANOVER TWP., Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A 3-year-old boy was shot after being left alone in a car with a gun in Caln Township, Chester County.

It happened just before 12 p.m. Saturday in a parking lot near East Lincoln Highway & Toth Avenue.

Officials say the 3-year-old was inside the vehicle alone when he got a hold of the gun and fired, accidentally shooting himself in the leg.

Police say the boy was transported to Children's Hospital in Philadelphia where he was placed in critical condition.

According to investigators, there are some "conflicting reports" regarding the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

Anyone who was in the area at the time of the shooting and has information is urged to call police at 610-383-7000.

Police said this incident is the second accidental discharge of a firearm that resulted in injury in a township parking lot recently.

Earlier this week police say a man was injured after a gun discharged as he was getting inside his vehicle in a Rite Aid parking lot in Thorndale.

Caln Police Chief Joseph Elias released this statement on the shooting incidents:

"Always treat firearms as if they are loaded. Keep your finger away from the trigger until you're ready to shoot and don't depend on any mechanical device for safety. Be aware of your surroundings when handling a firearm - an accidental discharge can strike anyone nearby. Keep all firearms, loaded or unloaded, away from children - period. Handling any firearm must always be performed carefully with a serious mind and a full grasp of the potential consequences."