Boy, 3, dies after accidentally shooting himself with a gun found under the counter at his father’s shop

The incident happened in the town of Lumberton, North Carolina on Sunday

The incident happened in Lumberton, North Carolina on Sunday, with the as-yet-unnamed child pronounced dead after being rushed to a nearby hospital [file image] (Getty Images)

A three-year-old boy has died in the US after accidentally shooting himself with a loaded gun he found under the counter at his father’s shop.

The incident happened in Lumberton, North Carolina on Sunday, with the as-yet-unnamed child pronounced dead after being rushed to a nearby hospital.

Officers were called to the shop at around 11am following reports of a shooting.

Police Captain Terry Parker said the boy had been at the store with his father, Manal Abdelziz, who lives in nearby Laurinburg, when the shopkeeper’s attention was briefly distracted.

Moments later the boy found the fully loaded weapon under the cash register and accidentally pulled the trigger, causing fatal injuries.

Mr Abdelziz called for an ambulance and he was taken to Southeastern Regional Medical Center but his son was declared dead on arrival.

Robeson County District Attorney's Office will now decide whether the shopkeeper will face charges over the incident, according to ITV News. It is illegal to have an unsecured gun in the presence of a child in the state of North Carolina, the news website added.