Boy, 3, finds dad's gun in family home in Hinckley, fatally shoots himself in head

A toddler found one of his father's guns in the family's home in Hinckley, Minn., and fatally shot himself in the head, according to court documents filed Thursday.

The gunfire occurred about 9 p.m. Tuesday at a home in the 500 block of 1st Street SW., according to search warrant affidavits filed in Pine County District Court.

The court records identified the boy as 3-year-old Thomas Pauza-Moore. He died less than three weeks shy of his fourth birthday.

Searches of the home by the Sheriff's Office led to the seizure of several guns including an AR-15-style rifle, a shotgun, and a 9-millimeter handgun that is believed to be the weapon the boy fired, the filings disclosed.

The Sheriff's Office has been tight-lipped so far about the death. It released a statement Wednesday afternoon tying the boy's death to a "medical incident."

Chief Sheriff's Deputy Scott Grice declined disclose any further details Thursday other than to say a case from his office "will be sent to the county attorney" for consideration of charges. The Star Tribune generally does not identify suspects before they are charged.

According to the filings:

The boy's father called 911 screaming for help because Thomas had shot himself. Deputies and other emergency responders arrived and began lifesaving measures, but the boy was pronounced dead shortly after 9:25 p.m.

The 26-year-old father and a roommate were in the basement and heard what sounded like something falling followed by a gunshot. The father ran upstairs and found the wounded boy in the father's bedroom.

The father said to a deputy that he kept a 9-millimeter handgun in his bedroom and that his son got ahold of it while upstairs alone.

Along with six guns seized from the home, evidence collected includes cartridge casings and bullet fragments.