5-Year-Old Boy Shot After Dad Accidentally Fires AR-15 While Cleaning It

What started as a routine night at home turned into a terrifying emergency for one California family.

A 5-year-old boy is recovering after being shot inside his Oakley home Sunday night when his father accidentally fired an AR-15-style rifle he believed was unloaded, according to police.

The incident happened around 9:25 p.m. at a home on Hemlock Court. Officers initially responded to reports that a man had shot himself while cleaning a gun, but the situation quickly took a far more serious turn.

Police say the call was updated en route — it was actually a young child who had been shot in the chest.

When officers arrived, they found the boy’s father holding him and desperately applying pressure to the wound.

The child was rushed by helicopter to a nearby hospital, where he underwent surgery. Authorities say he is expected to make a full recovery.

Investigators later determined the father had been cleaning his firearms when he removed an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle from a case. At some point, he accidentally pulled the trigger, sending a round into his son at close range.

The father told police he believed the weapon was empty.

After securing a search warrant, officers removed all firearms from the home as part of the investigation.

Despite the frightening scene, officials say the boy’s injuries could have been much worse.

Police Chief Paul Beard described the shooting as a tragic accident but stressed that serious mistakes were made.

Even though the bullet caused a grazing wound rather than penetrating the body, Beard said the outcome could have been far more devastating.

“An inch of difference… would have been a different, and more tragic outcome,” he said.

Authorities emphasized that firearms should always be treated as loaded and never handled carelessly — especially around others.

While police do not believe the shooting was intentional, the case will be forwarded to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office to determine whether any charges will be filed.