11-year-old Ohio boy accidentally kills 12-year-old brother while 'target shooting'

An Ohio boy accidentally killed his brother after finding a loaded gun lying on a table during a target shooting outing.

The Carroll County sheriff said an 11-year-old boy picked up the gun from a picnic table about 5 p.m. Friday and accidentally fired the loaded weapon, reported the Canton Repository.

The shot struck 12-year-old Joseph Baily in the head, killing the boy.

“They were actually target shooting,” said Carroll County Coroner Mandal Haas. “They were visiting a friend they knew here in Ohio. This was real ammunition. It was a head wound.”

The boy, who was visiting Carrollton from More, South Carolina, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The shooting was ruled an accident, but authorities are considering whether to file charges in the child's death.

The sheriff will turn over the results of his investigation to the county prosecutor.