A 2-year-old boy remained in critical condition Monday after, police say, he shot himself with his father’s gun late Saturday night in West Valley City.
The child is not expected to survive.
“He’s still on life support,” said West Valley Police Lt. Jeff Conger, “and the family, hopefully, will start making some decisions either tonight or tomorrow.”
Officers responded to a “shots fired” dispatch at 2700 S. Fair Isle Lane at 11:45 p.m. Saturday, and encountered the boy bleeding from the head and neck. The boy’s father, Tasman Maile, 27, told police the child got his gun and shot himself with it.
Police administered CPR and first aid, and upon arrival of fire and medical personnel, the boy was flown to Primary Children’s Hospital.
West Valley City police Lt. Amy Maurer said that Maile had been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, obstruction of justice, possession of a weapon by a restricted person and drug possession.
Conger said the case is expected to be screened by the Salt Lake County district attorney’s office as soon as Tuesday.
Police did not say the gun was found and how accessible it was to the child.
