HICKSVILLE TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WLIO) — The Defiance County Sheriff's Office and the Defiance County Prosecutor's Office are investigating the accidental shooting death of a 2-year-old boy.
According to a press release from the Defiance County Sheriff's Office, the Defiance County Dispatch Center received a 911 call just after noon on Saturday, June 13, reporting that a child had suffered a gunshot wound at a home on Buckskin Road in Hicksville Township.
Emergency responders provided medical treatment at the scene before the child was taken to Parkview Bryan Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators say initial evidence indicates the shooting was accidental and occurred after children gained access to an unsecured, loaded firearm.
Authorities say family members were home at the time of the incident.
The investigation is ongoing.
The following is the June 16, 2026, press release from the Defiance County Sheriff's Office:
"The Defiance County Sheriff's Office and Defiance County Prosecutor's Office have issued a statement regarding the investigation into what is being described as the accidental shooting death of a 2-year-old child.
On Saturday, June 13, 2026, at approximately 12:11 p.m., the Defiance County 911 Dispatch Center received a 911 call reporting that a 2-year-old child had suffered a gunshot wound. The incident occurred at a residence on Buckskin Road in Hicksville Township, Defiance County, Ohio. Deputies from the Defiance County Sheriff's Office responded to the residence and located the male child suffering from a critical gunshot wound. The Hicksville Police Department and Hicksville Fire and EMS also responded. Officers and emergency medical personnel immediately performed emergency medical treatment, and the child was transported to Parkview Bryan Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Preliminary evidence indicates the shooting was accidental and occurred after children gained access to an unsecured, loaded firearm. Adult family members were present at the property when the incident occurred and are fully cooperating with investigators. Further investigation by the Defiance County Sheriff's Office and the Defiance County Prosecutor's Office remains active and ongoing.
Authorities stressed that this heartbreaking incident serves as a stark and painful reminder of the critical importance of properly securing firearms and the need for close attention to firearm safety."
