1-year-old boy accidentally shot by 4-year-old brother in Texas, authorities say

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas -- A 1-year-old boy is expected to survive after he was accidentally shot by his 4-year-old brother at their home in Texas on Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

The incident occurred inside a house in Sheldon, a suburban neighborhood of northeastern Houston.

A preliminary investigation indicates that the 4-year-old boy had found an unsecured pistol at home and unintentionally shot his little brother, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

"I am grateful to report that the 1-year-old was immediately transported to the hospital and is expected to survive," Maj. Saul Suarez of the Harris County Sheriff's Office told reporters. "However, I do want to take this time to remind the community to be responsible when it comes to weapons, make sure that you're securing them, especially when there's children in the house."

The incident remains under investigation. It's unclear where exactly the boy found the firearm inside the home, according to Suarez.

The children's father, who declined to give his name or appear on camera, told Houston ABC station KTRK that his 4-year-old son likes to play with toy guns and probably didn't realize he had gotten hold of a real one. The father said his 7-year-old daughter was also inside the house at the time.

The father noted that he was not at home when the shooting happened and the firearm allegedly belongs to a relative staying there. He appeared visibly angry that an adult had left a loaded gun out around his children, according to KTRK.