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4-Year-Old Girl Dies After Accidental Handgun Shooting at Home in Afton, Oklahoma

A 4-year-old girl in Afton, Oklahoma, died after an accidental handgun shooting in her home. Investigators say the shooting appears unintentional and the matter is under review; no charges have been announced. A planned medical helicopter response was canceled due to weather, so responders transported the child by ground to a Miami-area hospital, where she later died. School officials called the loss "unimaginable" and have offered counseling to students and families.

4-Year-Old Girl Dies After Accidental Handgun Shooting at Home in Afton, Oklahoma

A 4-year-old girl in Afton, northeastern Oklahoma, died after being accidentally shot in the chest with a handgun inside her family home, according to local authorities. Investigators say the shooting appears to be unintentional and the case remains under review as they work to determine how the firearm discharged.

Emergency crews initially planned to airlift the child to a trauma center, but deteriorating weather conditions prevented a medical helicopter response. Responders instead transported the girl by ground to a hospital in the Miami, Oklahoma, area, where she later died despite medical efforts.

Local law enforcement is continuing its investigation into the circumstances of the incident, including how the handgun was stored or accessed. No criminal charges have been announced at this time.

Community response: School officials described the loss as devastating. "Our school community is grieving an unimaginable loss this evening — the passing of an Afton Elementary School student," Superintendent O. Jay Bowen wrote in a letter to families. The district said counseling resources would be made available to students and encouraged parents to reach out if children need help processing the tragedy.

This remains an active investigation; authorities asked anyone with relevant information to contact local law enforcement.

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