5-year-old Utah boy dies after shooting himself in the head with gun found in his home

A Utah family is mourning the loss of a 5-year-old boy after he accidentally shot himself in the head with a handgun he found in the home.

On Thursday, Aug. 22, the boy found a 9mm handgun in his parents’ bedroom before firing a single shot into his head, Santaquin Police Department Lt. Mike Wall confirmed, according to the Associated Press.

Police, who did not identify the boy, said he died at the scene despite his father’s efforts to save him after hearing the gunshot and rushing to his aid.

The boy’s parents and possibly one of his siblings were home at the time of the tragedy, according to the AP.

Wall and the Santaquin Police Department did not immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE.

The boy’s family released a statement, according to KUTV, describing the incident as “an unimaginable tragedy.”

“We are losing a very dear member who will be deeply missed. However, through our faith in Jesus Christ, we will overcome this ordeal, as we feel his love so abundantly,” they said.

“We extend our sincere gratitude to those who responded and to the community for their overwhelming support and compassion,” the family continued. “This heartbreaking incident has taught us difficult lessons and we deeply regret that things turned out this way.”

“Our hearts are broken and we hope that our family’s loss serves as a poignant reminder of how quickly life can change,” the family added.

They added: “We hope this tragedy serves as a reminder to others to take every precaution to keep their children safe. As we come together to grieve, we ask that you please respect our privacy during this difficult time as we mourn the loss of our beloved little boy.”

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Authorities do not suspect wrongdoing and the parents are not currently facing charges in the incident, according to the AP. Wall also declined to comment on how the gun was stored while the investigation is ongoing.

Utah is not listed as a state with child access prevention (CAP) and secure storage laws, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

“Utah law generally does not hold adults responsible for making firearms available to minors, but for failing to take firearms away from minors who have violated minimum age laws,” a post on the site says, adding that a minor is defined as “a person under the age of 21 for handguns” in the U.S. state.

The AP added that the state does not require “that unattended firearms be stored in a certain manner or that a locking device be sold with a firearm.”