MORGANTON, NC – In a shocking incident, a 3-year-old boy unintentionally shot his 2-year-old brother with their father’s firearm in a church parking lot in Morganton, North Carolina. Despite the severity of the incident, the younger child is anticipated to fully recover, according to their father, Rev. Adam Vines, the pastor of River Valley Baptist Church.
The unfortunate event unfolded around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, while the Vines family was participating in an evening service at their church. The older sibling discovered the gun in the side door of the family’s parked van and inadvertently fired the weapon, causing injury to his younger brother, Daniel Vines.
Rev. Vines expressed gratitude that the bullet did not cause more severe damage to his son’s brain. He detailed that the bullet entered behind the child’s ear but took a path across the lower side, sparing the brain. Following the incident, Daniel was able to communicate and move.
Emergency services airlifted Daniel to the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, where he underwent immediate surgery. By Monday, his condition was reported as stable. Rev. Vines noted that while the injury was not as catastrophic as initially feared, Daniel would need therapy to aid his recovery.
The older sibling, who discharged the gun, was reportedly traumatized by the incident. Burke County Sheriff Robert Hinceman confirmed that his deputies had seized the pastor’s firearm as part of their ongoing investigation. The district attorney will ultimately determine whether to press charges in relation to the shooting.