11-year-old dies in accidental shooting after reaching for gun

An 11-year-old boy accidentally shot himself over the weekend, and he died later at a Macon hospital.

Charkevious J. Doster, a Crisp County resident, was shot about 9 p.m. Saturday night after reaching for a gun that was lying on top of a dresser in his home, Crisp County Sheriff Bill Hancock said.

The gunshot hit him in the chest.

“Right now, it looks like the young man went back into the bedroom in the house where the father had a gun, and in doing so, he ... fell trying to get it,” Hancock said.

The child’s mother heard a noise and went to the room to investigate. She found the boy alone in the room and immediately called 911.

He was taken first to Crisp Regional Hospital for emergency surgery and then was brought to the Medical Center, Navicent Health in Macon.

“When something unexpected happens to a youth, it’s tragic,” Hancock said. “You can’t imagine what effect it has on the family.”

The case is still under investigation.

The sheriff advised parents to use gun locks and to keep all weapons out of the reach of children.

This story was originally published July 3, 2017 at 2:27 PM with the headline "11-year-old dies in accidental shooting after reaching for gun."