CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg police charged the father of a deceased 3-year-old after a shooting at his home Friday. Police charged him with involuntary manslaughter and failure to secure a firearm from a minor, according to a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department tweet.

Three-year-old Jackson Truitt died at a hospital Friday after the shooting, which CMPD said it responded to a little bit after 10 a.m.

The boy’s father, Richard Allen Truitt, was charged later the same day. CMPD says the investigation is continuing, and they have not provided an update since Friday.

The organization, Everytown, which works to end gun violence nationally, monitors unintentional shootings involving children. On average, the organization says there are more than 130 unintentional deaths a year, citing CDC data.

Also, the organization says there are roughly 4.6 million children in a home with at least one loaded, and unlocked, gun. So far through March 26, the organization has tracked 70 unintentional shootings by children, which led to 29 deaths so far in 2023. Truitt’s death occurred after Everytown’s last update and is not reflected in the available data. Through March 26, North Carolina had at least three other incidents, which are included on Everytown’s interactive map. 

At Carolina Sporting Arms, Director of Training Mike Simpson said gun safety questions are common from customers. 

“I would say every time they’re looking at guns, everybody has the concern on their mind, ‘What can I do to make sure this gun is safe in my home?’ A lot of phone calls every day, ‘How can I keep my gun safe?’ or, ‘How can I be safe around children?’ So, we get that a lot,” Simpson explained.

Simpson has been around firearms since the first time he went hunting as a teenager. Now, he leads training classes at the store and teaches safety and proper operation to gun users in Charlotte.

“Whenever you buy a new pistol, from the manufacturer, they give you a lock. And this lock is going to make that gun so it’s inoperable,” Simpson said about the widespread availability of cable locks.

Additionally, Simpson says lockboxes or gun safes start at about $100 and come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

“There’s no reason to have that gun where it’s not secure. You’re provided with a lock, there’s different technologies available now, you can still have a gun to protect yourself in the home. But yet, it’s secure from children or anybody else who shouldn’t have access,” Simpson added.

Just a few weeks ago, Simpson said local law enforcement was in the store to hand out cable pistol locks to interested gun users for free, which he says is not uncommon.

Simpson said it is also against North Carolina law to allow minors to have access or handle firearms without direct supervision.