CORNELIUS, N.C. — The Cornelius Police Department is conducting a death investigation after a mother of five was killed following one of her children accidentally removing a gun from her purse Monday evening.
Police arrived around 7 p.m. to 19301 Meridian Street after receiving a call in reference to a shooting. When officers, they located 25-year-old Gabriel Henderson in the back bedroom of her apartment. She was pronounced dead by MEDIC.
After speaking with witnesses, detectives determined the only people inside the apartment at the time of the shooting were the victim and her five children.
There was a small semi-automatic handgun located on the bed in the bedroom where the Henderson was found, police say. Four of the children were in the room at the time of the shooting and detectives believe they found the gun inside their mother’s purse.
Detectives say the mother was ‘inadvertently’ shot, as well as the youngest child. The oldest child was in the living room when the incident occurred.
The youngest child was transported by MEDIC to Atrium Main in Charlotte with non-life-threatening injuries.
This case involves juveniles; therefore, we will not be releasing their names or any other identifying factors.
