12-Year-Old Boy Critically Injured in Accidental St. Paul Shooting

A 12-year-old boy in St. Paul, Minnesota, was critically injured after accidentally shooting himself early Monday morning inside a home on the city's west side. Police responded to reports of shots fired around 1:30 a.m. and found the boy at the scene; he was immediately transported to Regions Hospital in critical condition. Authorities have not disclosed how the boy obtained the firearm or who it belonged to, and the investigation into the incident is ongoing. Minnesota law criminalizes negligent firearm storage when children can access guns, but recent legislative efforts to strengthen these laws have failed. Firearms continue to be the leading cause of death among children in the United States, according to recent data. The case highlights ongoing concerns about gun safety and child access to firearms in the state.