4-year-old Wasilla boy shot in the leg when mother's .357 magnum falls out of her holster

A 4-year-old Wasilla, Alaska boy is in the hospital after being shot in the leg by his mother's high-powered handgun after it fell out of her holster, reports KTVA.

According to a report filed by Alaska State Troopers, the unidentified woman and her family were exiting their truck when the handgun -- a .357 magnum -- slipped out of her holster, striking the ground, and firing a shot that struck the boy.

The troopers, responding to a report of a child with a gunshot wound, arrived to find paramedics already at the scene.

According to the trooper's report, the bullet struck the 4-year-old “then exited his leg" before lodging in the trim of a nearby building.

The boy was transported via LifeMed helicopter to Anchorage for treatment of his injuries.