ATLANTA — Atlanta Police are investigating after a 5-year-old boy was shot at an apartment complex in Atlanta's Sweet Auburn neighborhood, not far from Downtown Atlanta.
Officers said they were called to the AMC Medical Center on Boulevard Northeast shortly after 10:30 a.m. When officers arrived, they found a child who had been shot in the foot and is in stable condition. APD said the child was taken to the hospital by his grandmother.
Investigators learned the original incident took place at the Camden Vantage Apartments on Jackson Street near the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park.
APD is conducting interviews and working to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
In a Facebook post, the police department called the incident "avoidable" and careless."
"This incident did not have to occur. We do not understand the rationale behind leaving unsecured loaded guns in the home when children are around. It will never make sense to us," APD wrote. "This child could have died. We are all grateful that this little boy will be around to open presents on Christmas day, but we are saddened that we must do yet another post asking people to be responsible, smart, and mindful when dealing with firearms and children."