Babysitter shot after toddler discovered loaded handgun: Winnipeg police

A file image of the Winnipeg Police Service taken on Dec. 24, 2019. (Source: CTV News Winnipeg)

Winnipeg police say a teenaged babysitter was hospitalized after a toddler discovered a loaded handgun and started running around with it.

Police say on Saturday morning, the teenaged girl was babysitting the toddler while an adult was asleep in the apartment suite in the Seven Oaks neighbourhood.

The toddler found an unsecured and loaded handgun and started running around the suite with it. Police say the babysitter quickly took the gun away from the child, but while she was trying to get it, the gun accidentally went off and she was shot in the upper body.

The teenaged girl, who police say was known to the adult but was not a family member, was taken to hospital in stable condition. Police did not have an update on her condition as of Wednesday.

Const. Dani McKinnon, a public information officer with the Winnipeg Police Service, said there are many issues with the incident—one being the handgun in the incident requires special permissions and regulations to own, and that it was not stored properly.

A 20-year-old Winnipeg woman was arrested and is facing charges of possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm, storing a firearm or restricted weapon contrary to regulations, and carrying a concealed weapon, prohibited device or ammunition.

McKinnon said she has never seen something like this in her time as a public information officer.

She said the situation could have easily ended with a much more tragic result.

"It could have easily killed her instantly. The child could have killed themselves. All three of them could have been hurt or killed," McKinnon said. "The magnitude of the incident is quite shocking."

The woman was released on an undertaking and the charges against her have not been tested in court.