6-Year-Old Shot His 3-Year-Old Brother, Say Police In Albany

What's Going on in Albany?

More disturbing news out of Albany, New York regarding the 3-year-old boy who was shot on Tuesday afternoon.  Police say he was shot by his brother, who is only 6 years old himself.

Yesterday afternoon I was texting with a good friend who works for the Albany Police about something I thought he'd find humorous.  It was a silly, harmless interaction that made us both chuckle. It lasted a few minutes, then we both moved on with our day.

My buddy has been working for the APD for many years, I know his job can be stressful, but even while he works, he finds the time to send back a witty response or two.   That was at about 2 PM.

Another Text at 410 PM

At approximately 410 PM on Tuesday, I received another text from my friend, but there was nothing witty or funny about this exchange

He didn't offer a ton of information, but my friend messaged me to tell me that he was at Albany Medical Center after responding to a call about a 3-year-old boy who was shot.

While unnerved, he remained professional - like all police officers must do. Joking around being silly one minute, and the next, he's caring for a toddler covered in blood while looking for answers.

Another Day in the Life of an Albany Police Officer

Day by day, minute by minute even, you never know what these men and women in uniform have to face. Later that evening, I checked in with my friend to see how the little boy was doing.

My friend didn't share much with me, only saying that the 3-year-old was not doing well.  Heartbreaking to say the least.

Today we learned that the 3-year-old was shot by his older brother, who is just 6 years old himself.  Yes, you read that correctly, the shooter was 6.

How Does this Happen?

According to a report by NewsChannel 13, the child obtained the gun and it fired, striking the 3-year-old near Lark Drive and Manning Boulevard in the Arbor Hill neighborhood.

The child is in stable condition, according to Albany Police.

The Times Union reported that the 6-year-old is the "victim’s brother who found the gun in a backpack and did not realize it was a real weapon."

I don't know what's happening lately in the city of Albany.  Reports by officials say "crime and violence in Albany is down" but is it?

My thoughts are with that innocent little boy still at Albany Med, and I pray for a fast, full recovery.  My thoughts are also with the men and women in uniform who may be joking around with you for one minute, only to respond to the type of emergency call that stays with you for your entire life, the next.

Is crime in Albany down?

If you ask an officer, you may get a different answer than the one given by politicians.  To me, it seems as if the only thing going down is the ages of the individuals involved in such heinous acts.