Connecticut

Guilford Teen Accidentally Shot Himself With Handgun: Report

A 15-year-old Guilford High School freshman who died after a shooting in Guilford accidentally shot himself, according to a report from the State’s Attorney.

On January 31, police were called to 104 Seaside Ave. for reports of a gunshot victim and found 15-year-old Ethan Song. He was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

At the time, police said Song was with another teen and no adults were home at the time of the shooting. Song did not live in the home, police said.

In a report released Tuesday, the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s office said investigation determined that Song accidentally shot himself in the head with a .357 magnum handgun, calling the death a “horrific and preventable tragedy.”

According to the report, the weapon was stored with two others in a cardboard box inside large Tupperware in a master bedroom closet of the home. Each weapon had a gun lock and there was no evidence that the weapons were loaded, but investigators determined that the keys to those locks and ammunition for the guns were also hidden in the closet.

The report goes on to say that it appears juveniles had played with the guns several times, then returned them to their original hiding place to avoid detection. Investigators said there is no evidence that the gun owner knew the juveniles had accessed the guns.

The State’s Attorney’s report said the circumstances of the case do not support prosecution of the gun owner. The storage of the weapons did not violate Connecticut law, nor is there any evidence that the gun owner knew or should have known that juveniles could access the guns without permission.

The Song family has established the Ethan Miller Song Foundation in honor of their son, with a mission to raise awareness about gun safety and to teach children about the dangers of distracted driving and opioid abuse.

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