4-Year-Old Kills Wife Of Sheriff’s Deputy At Family Cook-Out

A 4-year-old child got his hands on a loaded gun during a family cook-out and killed the wife of a Sheriff’s deputy.

The victim has been identified as 48-year-old Josephine Fanning.

The shooting happened Saturday evening inside Deputy Daniel Fanning’s home in Lebanon.

Authorities say Deputy Fanning and a male relative had been looking at firearms in a bedroom.  Wilson County Sheriff Robert Bryan says no one noticed Fanning’s 4-year-old nephew walk into the room.

The child reportedly picked up the loaded gun from a bed and fired it once, hitting Josephine.

“Split second, and we’re  talking about seconds for that kid to run in that room unbeknownst to them, grab that gun and it goes off,” explained Bryan.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Bryan says this was all just a horrible accident.

“It’s a sad, sad set of circumstances.  You never prepare yourself for anything like this.”

Authorities say the gun was not Fanning’s service weapon.  He works as a school resource officer.-[source]