10-year-old boy shoots his brother with a gun given to him at school

What seemed like a peaceful family morning turned into tragedy in the Progreso neighborhood of Guaymallén, Mendoza, Argentina. Two brothers, ages 14 and 10, were playing in their backyard when a gunshot alarmed their mother. When she went outside, she discovered her eldest son on the ground, with a gunshot wound to his neck.

According to what the mother told the police, the young man managed to tell her that he was handling a gun with his younger brother, which a classmate had apparently given them. In a moment of distraction, the 10-year-old boy allegedly fired the weapon, causing the injury.

The two minors were quickly taken to the Humberto Notti Children's Hospital. The young teenager arrived in critical condition, suffering from serious injuries to his trachea and spine. He underwent emergency surgery and remains hospitalized with a reserved prognosis.

Meanwhile, his younger brother received medical attention and is out of physical danger. Authorities went to the house located more than six kilometers from downtown Guaymallén; however, they initially did not find the weapon involved.

The breakthrough in the investigation came hours later, when the children's 47-year-old grandmother arrived at the hospital with an empty .22-caliber handgun. She said that was the weapon the children were handling and that her grandson had thrown it into a nearby vacant lot out of fear after the shot.

Guaymallén's Public Prosecutor's Office No. 1 was tasked with investigating the matter. Specialists verified that the pistol, a .22-caliber Ataque brand weapon, was unregistered and did not appear in official records, which has caused concern among community members.