Toddler kills cousin with father's gun

The toddler son of a US police officer shot and killed his three year old cousin with the gun his father had left in the family car.

Police were called to a house in Louisiana at 2.30 pm local time on Thursday after the three-year-old boy gunned down his cousin when they were playing in their front garden.



Sheriff Charles McDonald of the Rayville Police department said the little boy and his father were visiting another off-duty officer at the house. When the boy's father turned to get something out of the car, his son picked up the gun, which was in the driver's side door, he said.

The toddler pulled the trigger and accidentally shot the girl, killing her instantly, Sheriff McDonald said. He described the death as a "tragic accident".