FIREBAUGH - Shortly after 12:30 pm on Sunday, Fresno County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a home near the intersection of Belmont and Fairfax Avenues in Firebaugh for a report of an accidental shooting.

When deputies arrived they found Ivan Gomez, a 12 year old boy, with a gunshot wound. Paramedics tried to revive the child but the 12-year-old victim was pronounced dead on scene. There was one other minor on the property at the time of the shooting who homicide detectives interviewed to determine exactly what happened.

The boy’s mother was away in Mendota. The only people home were the twelve-year-old boy and his thirteen-year-old friend. Fresno County Sheriff Deputies are calling it a tragic accident. However at this point, deputies have not said if it was a self-inflicted wound.

Detectives are still working to find out how the kids were able to gain access to that gun. What lead to the gun being fired and striking the victim remains a question in this ongoing investigation. It’s a .25-caliber semi-automatic handgun. Deputioes say it isn’t the mother’s but they are not sure who the gun belongs to. Investigators said the gun was not registered. 

Whomever the gun belongs to could be charged with the negligent storage of a firearm. A law went into effect in 2014 saying you have to keep your gun locked up if a child has even a chance of finding it. The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office has not ruled out child endangerment and negligence charges.

A GoFundMe account has been set up by the community to help the family with funeral expenses for the boy.  This remains an ongoing investigation. BVN will have more information as it becomes available.