A tragic story out of Waco has led to the arrest of a 21-year-old suspect.

I can't imagine the grief a Waco family is dealing with today after a 2-year-old boy died after finding a gun and shooting himself in the head.

Police said it appeared to be accidental, but the shooting has led to a 21-year-old named Derrick Pipkins being arrested. He's been charged with tampering with physical evidence.

Our news partners at KWTX reported that on Wednesday, Sept. 22, just after 6 pm, the Waco Police Department was called out to the University Club Apartments located on Martin Luther King Boulevard to investigate a possible shooting.

Officers found the boy with a gunshot wound to the head. Medical personal transported him to Baylor Scott and White Hillcrest Hospital, where he later died. According to the police, the shooting appeared to be accidental.

Get our free mobile app

Further investigation revealed that the 2-year-old found the gun in the backpack of Derrick Pipkins. Following the shooting, Pipkins took the gun and left the scene. He would later return, at which point he was taken into custody and charged with tampering with physical evidence.

KCEN reports that following the news of this tragic event, the Temple Police Department took to Twitter to remind people that thanks to a partnership with Project Childsafe, free gun locks are available to gun owners.



Temple PD is located at 209 E. Avenue A, and the lobby is open 24/7.

These 180 Kids Have Gone Missing in Texas in 2021

As of July 13th, 2021, these are the kids still reported missing in Texas according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

LOOK: 15 Pets You CAN'T Own in the City of Temple

Temple is a super pet-friendly place to live, but there are some animals city officials would really rather you not try to tame and keep in your home. Let's take a look at a few of the critters on the banned list.

More From KKTX FM