Sheriff: 4-year-old inadvertently fired gun, wounded 2-year-old in vehicle in southern Minnesota

A 4-year-old got ahold of a gun while in the backseat of a vehicle in southern Minnesota and inadvertently shot a 2-year-old sitting close by, officials said.

The shooting occurred about 10:20 a.m. Sunday in Martin County, the Sheriff's Office said. As of Tuesday morning, officials have yet to reveal the wounded child's medical condition.

The Sheriff's Office was alerted to the shooting when another person in the vehicle called 911 from near Welcome, according to the Sheriff's Office.

The driver was heading to Fairmont to get medical attention for the 2-year-old when deputies caught up to the vehicle just outside of town, the Sheriff's Office said.

Deputies assisted an adult and gave immediate aid to the wounded child before emergency medical personnel took over at the scene, according to the Sheriff's Office. An air ambulance arrived and took the 2-year-old to a Rochester hospital for further medical attention.

"Based on information obtained at the scene and from the involved parties," read a statement from Sheriff Jeff Markquart, "it is believed that a 4-year-old child in the backseat gained possession of a loaded firearm and accidentally discharged the firearm, striking the 2-year-old child, who was also a passenger in the backseat of the vehicle."

Officials have yet to release the identities of any of the vehicle's occupants.