A Walmart store in Waverly, Ohio, became the scene of a potentially life-threatening incident on the morning of November 16 when a 2-year-old boy accidentally fired his mother’s handgun inside the establishment.

The incident occurred at the Walmart Supercenter, located approximately 60 miles south of Columbus, resulting in minor injuries to the child.

According to the Waverly Police Department, officers responded to a report of a shooting at the store and found the owner of the firearm, the mother of the toddler, still present at the scene.

According to the police statement, the child had accessed the Taurus 9mm handgun from his mother’s purse, leading to the “unintentional discharge” of the weapon.

The gunshot penetrated the ceiling, causing a minor injury to the toddler’s forehead upon contact with the magazine. Fortunately, no other injuries were reported.

The child was promptly released to the care of a guardian and taken to Urgent Care for treatment.

In response to the incident, the mother was arrested and charged with one count of endangering children. The police did not disclose the identity of the mother in their official statement.

The Waverly Police Department later released a statement calling for responsible firearm ownership and storage, particularly for individuals with children.

“Incidents like these underscore the need for heightened awareness and safety measures to prevent such accidents from occurring,” they stressed in the post on their Facebook page.