Police: Boy, 3, who shot himself in the head improving

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A 3-year-old boy found a loaded gun in his South Carolina home and shot himself in the head, authorities said.

Columbia police said the boy is in critical condition after he was found Tuesday evening suffering from a gunshot wound to his head, news outlets reported. The child had surgery and is showing signs of improvement, police said.

Investigators said the child found the loaded gun in a bedroom of his home. Officers have the gun and are investigating how it became unsecured.

The child’s 22-year-old mother was in the home at the time of the shooting, police said. She is assisting in the ongoing investigation.