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  "path": "/2026/04/09/boy-11-shot-head-finding-gun-woods-mistaking-bb-gun-27913298/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-09T14:50:10.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "News",
    "UK",
    "Crime News",
    "Hampshire",
    "News Updates",
    "Breaking News",
    "accidentally shot himself dead",
    "Jackson Sun",
    "check our news page",
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  "textContent": "Police cordoned off the area after the incident (Picture: Solent News)\n\nA young boy was shot in the head after finding a gun in the woods and mistaking it for a BB gun – but escaped without serious injuries.\n\nThe unnamed boy, 11, remarkably only suffered a graze to the head after he and another boy found the weapon in Southampton, Hampshire, on April 7, police said.\n\nThey thought it was a BB gun and took it home, where they fired it once.\n\nHampshire Constabulary has confirmed that the gun was in fact a pistol that was found in woodland near Wadhurst Gardens.\n\nThe police were alerted to the situation just before 5.30 pm that evening, and were taken to the area where the gun was found by the children.\n\n##  Sign up for all of the latest stories\n\nStart your day informed with Metro's **News Updates** newsletter or get **Breaking News** alerts the moment it happens.\n\nThe young boy found the gun while exploring (Picture: Solent News)\n\nParts of a nature reserve in the area, Westwood Nature Reserve, have remained cordoned off for three days, and police remain at the scene today.\n\nChief Inspector Chris Douglas, deputy district commander for Southampton, said: ‘As soon as this incident was reported to us on Tuesday, our teams were swiftly in attendance and have been carrying out thorough enquiries and searches in the area since.\n\n‘We know that our scenes will have disrupted people’s normal daily routines, and we want to thank local residents for their patience as we carry out our investigation.’\n\n‘Thankfully, this discovery has not resulted in more serious injuries, and the boys and their families have acted quickly to report the matter to us and allow us to start further enquiries.\n\nThey thought it was a BB gun and took it home, where they fired it once (Picture: Solent News)\n\n‘These kinds of firearms are often used to threaten people and cause serious harm, and we are committed to tackling and disrupting serious criminal activity.\n\nPreviously, a three-year-old boy accidentally shot himself dead after finding a loaded gun lying around his home.\n\nChrisaiah Arrington died at his home in Jackson, Mississippi, in 2019, with his mother, Linda Arrington, hearing a ‘pop’ coming from his bedroom as he pulled the trigger.\n\nHe was rushed to the hospital but sadly pronounced dead soon afterwards, the Jackson Sun reported.\n\n******Get in touch with our news team by emailing us atwebnews@metro.co.uk.******\n\n**For more stories like this,** check our news page.\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "Boy, 11, shot in head after finding gun in the woods and mistaking it for BB gun"
}