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SMITHFIELD, Cache County — A 5-year-old boy has died of an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound, Smithfield police confirmed Tuesday.
The tragic incident happened Sunday morning. A family had just returned home from a camping trip the night before. They unloaded their camping gear into their house but waited until Sunday to unpack and put it away, said Smithfield Police Chief Travis Allen.
Sunday morning, a 5-year-old boy got up before anyone else and investigators believe he was playing in the area of the unpacked gear, Allen said. There was a gun in that gear. Police believe the boy found the gun and accidentally shot himself in the head while the others were still in bed.
The boy's name has not been released as of Tuesday, pending notification of extended family members.
