A 6-year-old Florida girl found a gun in the back seat of a vehicle she was in this week and fired a single shot, striking her 57-year-old grandmother in the lower back as she was driving.

The North Port Police Department said the gun had been in a holster in the back pocket of the driver’s seat, beneath a seat cover.

The grandmother drove home and called 911. She was airlifted to Sarasota Memorial Hospital for treatment, reportedly for “non-threatening injuries.”

Investigators called in the Child Protection Center and interviewed the 6-year-old, determining that “the explanations corroborate an accidental discharge.”

“This is an unfortunate example of the importance of gun safety. Please take appropriate measures to make sure children cannot access firearms. This could have been much worse, not only for the grandmother, but for the child. Thankfully, it appears that everyone is going to be okay,” said North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison.

Police said the investigation was ongoing, however.

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[Featured image: Shutterstock]