Boy, four, shoots himself in head, becoming fifth gun victim in his family

Toddler suffers ‘permanent, irreversible’ brain damage after accident when he found loaded gun under pillow

Na’vaun Jackson (Ramon Price / Facebook)

A four-year-old boy in the US nearly died when he accidentally shot himself in the head – the fifth victim of guns in his family.

Na’vaun Jackson suffered permanent, irreversible brain damage, doctors told his family while he was on life support in an induced coma.

The toddler had found a loaded firearm under a pillow at the home of a family friend in California, it was reported.

His family feared he would be the fifth close relative to be shot dead. Na’vaun’s father, Nathan Jackson, lost three siblings to guns, and his mother, Brijjanna Price, lost her brother that way.

Police said Na’vaun found the unlocked gun last month at Terrence Wilson’s home in East Oakland while he was watching television in a bedroom alone. Court documents show that Ms Price and Mr Wilson heard a gunshot, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Mr Wilson, 37, who is banned from owning a firearm, told police he had forgotten the gun was under his pillow, according to the paper.

The boy was rushed to hospital after the accident, and spent a week in intensive care, fighting for his life.

Doctors said he was probably brain-dead and would be unable to walk, according to Jamilia Land, Na’vaun’s aunt, the Chronicle reported.

Ms Land said the family were overjoyed when he awoke. His condition is now said to be stable.

“He’s alive, which we feel like is a miracle. He’s had all the odds against him. He shot himself right in the middle of his forehead between his eyes,” she said.

Police have charged Mr Wilson with criminal possession of a firearm, endangering a child and receiving stolen property, according to the Chronicle.

He was banned from owning firearms after convictions in 2003 for second-degree robbery, grand theft and conspiracy, according to court records, it said.

Ms Land said the extent of Na’vaun’s brain damage is not known.

“We maintain our faith and pray that things will turn out and he will leave [hospital], but with the extent of his injuries, he’ll never be the same,” she added.

She said guns were an epidemic. “We have these killings in our communities all the time, in the African-American community and oftentimes it’s not talked about.

“We can’t seem to escape it.”

Ms Price’s father, Ramon, said: “It was real irresponsible. And unfortunately it was my grandson who got to pay the ultimate price.”

He attributed the city’s gun problems to a lack of education and irresponsible behaviour.

“There’s more people carrying guns than books,” he said.

“We need more preventive measures, [people should know] how to properly store guns and keep guns and the importance of having a gun,” he said.

“Guns are supposed to be used for protection and if you think you need a loaded gun in your house, then there’s something wrong.”