Cherokee County Shooting Death Investigated

ATOY- The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the death of a two year old boy who accidentally shot himself. The shooting occurred around 9:00 Thursday night east of Rusk near the Atoy community. The youngster, and a one year old brother, had gone with their mother to visit relatives. The young boy appears to have found a pistol in a bedroom and picked it up when it fired. He was hit once in the neck. They put the child in a private vehicle and headed to the hospital in Rusk. They were met by an ambulance and two attendants who worked on the boy, but he was dead. The body has been sent to a Tyler lab for autopsy. Investigators say no foul play is expected and no charges have been filed.