Police identify 4-year-old boy who died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot in South Jersey

The 4-year-old boy who died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head Friday night in Pemberton Township was identified as Lincoln Mack, authorities said Saturday.

The boy gained access to an unsecured handgun in his home on Maricopa Trail, and evidence suggests the shooting was a self-inflicted accident, Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and Pemberton Township Police Chief David Jantas said.

Officers and medics were called to the family’s home just after 7 p.m. Friday and found the boy with a gunshot wound to the cheek. He was taken to Capital Health Emergency Department at Deborah Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at about 8 p.m.

Lincoln’s parents and two siblings were inside the home at the time of the shooting, authorities said.

“Our hearts are with Lincoln’s family in the wake of this unspeakable tragedy,” Coffina said in a statement. “However, an accident like this is entirely preventable. I urge everyone who owns a gun to go — right now — and make sure it is secure and not accessible to any children in their home.”

Detectives from the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and the Pemberton Township Police Department are investigating the incident. No charges have been filed.