Idaho Walmart: 2-Year-Old Boy Shoots And Kills Woman

In an Idaho Walmart, a 2-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed a woman on Tuesday.

According to Lt. Stu Miller of Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, the woman, 29, was shopping with four children. She was in the electronics section of the store when the 2-year-old boy, sitting in a shopping cart, grabbed a handgun from the woman’s purse and pulled the trigger.

Authorities weren’t immediately sure how the woman and son were related. Later in the afternoon Lt. Miller confirmed she was his mother.

The woman’s name has not been released to the public.

Miller said she was not from the area and in town for the holidays. She had a concealed weapons permit for her handgun. Idaho recognizes concealed weapon permits from other states, allowing the woman to carry the handgun lawfully. Unless a private business opposes having weapons on its property, anyone who has the permit on hand can carry.

The store closed after the shooting, which occurred around 11 a.m. Police determined the incident was an accident after viewing video surveillance and talking to eye witnesses.

The Idaho Walmart where the 2-year-old boy shot and killed the woman was in Hayden, a town about 40 miles from Spokane, Washington.

The store released a statement:

“A very sad and tragic incident happened in our Hayden store involving a female customer. We are fully cooperating with the Kootenai County Sherriff’s deputies as they investigate the matter.”

Some are using the shooting as a means to critique gun laws in the U.S.

Most shocking & sad news you'll read. But to be expected in a country where it's fine to have guns around children. http://t.co/ByjAExJ88M

— Paul Bennison (@PaulBennison) December 30, 2014

Jesus. A two-year-old boy nicked a gun from his mother's handbag and shot her dead in an Idaho Walmart. When will the U.S. wise up on guns?

— Philip Nolan (@philipnolan1) December 30, 2014

Hoping the police will be finished investigating the incident of the boy shooting and killing a woman, the Idaho Walmart plans to reopen at 6 a.m. on Wednesday.

[Photo Credit: Mike Mozart]

Idaho Walmart: 2-Year-Old Boy Shoots And Kills Woman