Omaha, NE – A five-year-old boy is recovering after he accidentally shot himself with a gun that fell from his father’s pocket. The boy was injured in the arm on Sunday.
Trae Colvin, 28, faces charges of child abuse, according to Douglas County corrections records. Omaha police arrested Colvin and cited the boy’s mother, Gabrielle Gutierrez, for two counts of misdemeanor neglect.
Prosecutors allege that Colvin put the firearm in his pocket after driving home with the child. He reportedly fell asleep on his bed with the boy and his seven-month-old sibling nearby.
Colvin told police he did not hear the gunshot but realized the boy was injured when he saw blood. He allegedly put the gun in a safe before leaving the house to call the boy’s mother.
Gutierrez said that Colvin frequently kept the gun in his pocket rather than securing it in the safe. The boy’s mother expressed concern about the firearm being accessible to the children prior to the incident.
Child Protective Services intervened and removed both children from the home. The five-year-old is expected to make a full recovery.
