Fort Worth

Two Children Accidentally Shot by their 10-Year-Old Cousin, According to Family

Two children are hospitalized after an accidental shooting inside a Fort Worth home Thursday, police say.

A 7-year-old girl is recovering and her 5-year-old brother is undergoing a second surgery.

They were accidentally shot by their cousin who is just 10 years old, according to family.

The shooting happened at a home near Interstate 30 and Beach Street in East Fort Worth.

The children's grandmother, who was home at the time of the shooting, rushed them to the hospital.

She told NBC 5 the shooting happened with a pistol that shot pellets like a shotgun, and that when she first saw it even she initially thought it was a toy.

Her son, Jordan Lewis, told NBC 5 his 10-year-old daughter accidentally shot her cousins after they found a gun while digging in a bucket full of clothes.

The children had been searching for cell phones to play with, according to the grandmother.

Lewis said his daughter tried to take the loaded gun out of her 5-year-old cousin's hands when it accidentally went off once.

Pellets struck the boy in his chest and hit the hand of his 7-year-old sister who was nearby. Their grandmother immediately drove the children to Cook Children's Hospital.

Fort Worth police said that one child is listed in stable condition and one child is listed in serious condition.

Police also said they are investigating the shooting as an accident and do not expect any charges will be filed in the case. Child Protective Services is also investigating.

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, making a firearm available to a child is a Class C misdemeanor and can be enhanced to Class A if the child discharges the gun and causes death or serious bodily injury to himself or another person.

The father told NBC 5/Telemundo 39 it's not clear who owns the gun.

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