A four-year-old boy accidentally shot his mother in the US state of Florida, leaving the woman known for her strong pro-gun stance seriously wounded and facing possible charges, officials said today.
31-year-old Jamie Gilt was driving down a road in Putnam County on Tuesday when her son managed to get hold of a gun while he was sitting in the back seat of the truck, according to a statement released by the Putnam County Sheriff's Department.
Officials told the Florida Times-Union that the child fired a .45-caliber handgun that he found on the truck's floor into the driver's seat.
"She was shot through the seat and the round went through her back," Sheriff's Captain Joseph Wells said.
"There was a booster seat in the back of the vehicle, but, however, the boy was not strapped in when the deputy got to them," he said.
The deputy noticed that a truck stopped partially in the travel lanes and a woman in the driver's seat motioning for help. The only other occupant in the vehicle was the boy, who was not harmed.
Authorities said the firearm was legally owned by Gilt, who maintained a Facebook page entitled "Jamie Gilt for Gun Sense," where she regularly posted pro-gun positions.
On her personal Facebook page, Gilt once bragged about her son: "Even my 4 year old gets jacked up to target shoot with the .22."
Gilt's social media presence is filled with pro-gun messages, Second Amendment memes and posts supporting the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), as well as photos of her posing with weapons.
She appears to maintain a Facebook page called "Jamie Gilt for Gun Sense," which has since been inundated by people criticizing her passion for weapons in light of being shot by her son, Washington Post reported.
Detectives have not yet been able to interview Gilt because of her medical condition.
Florida law makes it a misdemeanor for a person to store or leave a loaded firearm in such a way that a child could gain access to it.
Authorities said they will not make a decision on charges until they can speak with the woman. Gilt is believed to be in stable condition, CNN reported.
The boy is currently with relatives. The Florida Department of Children and Families also is probing the incident.
