6 Year Old Brings Loaded Gun To School And Accidently Shoots Himself And Two Of His Classmates

Wheeled away: One of the young victims is stretchered off to hospital after the bullet was discharged at Ross Elementary School in Houston

Three Texas kindergarten children were shot today when a six-year-old brought a loaded handgun to school and it discharged after it fell out of his pocket.

The bullet or fragments grazed the youngsters at Ross Elementary School in Houston as they were having a break in the school's cafeteria at 10.22 am.

Shocked children and teachers ran for cover after the gun went off. 

Police are now trying to discover how the student, who was one of the injured, obtained the gun and why he  took it to school.

The victims - two six-year-olds and a girl, aged five - were seen being wheeled to ambulances on stretchers.

All were sitting up and appeared to be talking with emergency personnel. The injuries were not considered life-threatening. 

'The danger has passed and counsellors are at the scene,' said Norm Uhl, a school district spokesman.

The girl and one of the boys were wounded in the foot. The other child has a leg injury. They were taken to Texas Children's Hospital and their parents contacted.

Jarneshia Broussard, five, said she was sitting at the same table as the boy who brought the gun.

She was eating a hot dog and beans when she heard a loud noise. She first thought a light had gone out.

‘I knew it was a gun because a gun goes 'pow,' ‘ Jarneshia told the Houston Chronicle. ‘I got really scared.’

The sound of the shot caused a panic in the cafeteria and Jarneshia said she and other children began to cry.

When she moved to another table, she saw the gun lying on the floor.

The girl’s grandmother, Moneek Burleson, said: ‘This is a serious problem and it needs to stop.’

Houston Independent School District assistant police chief Robert Mock believes the children were either wounded by the bullet or fragments from the floor.