Boy, 9, accidentally shot in chest by dad after alleged road rage incident

Gun goes off as father tries to put it back in holster, police say he’s not expected to face charges

A boy was accidentally shot by his father in eastern Houston on Friday night. (ABC)

A nine-year-old boy is in critical condition after he was accidentally shot in his chest by his father, who pulled out a gun thinking they were being followed after an alleged road rage incident.

The accident took place around 11pm on Friday night, 11 June, in eastern Houston, Texas. KTRK reported that the dad thought they were being followed by another car, leading him to pull out his gun.

As they were driving home, the gun accidentally went off as the father tried to put it back in his holster. He raced his son to the hospital where he was deemed to be in critical condition but is expected to survive.

Whether the father and son were actually followed or if a road rage incident did occur remains unclear.

Houston police have said that the father isn’t expected to face any charges as law enforcement believes the incident was an accident.

The father is cooperating with the police in their investigation. The child is recovering at Texas Children’s Hospital.