3-year-old dies after gun discharges at Bartow Burger King

A 3-year-old boy died Thursday after a gun inside his father’s vehicle discharged at a Burger King in Bartow, Florida, while the father was trying to resolve a declined payment, authorities said. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said investigators believe the child picked up the firearm and shot himself. The child was taken to Lakeland Regional Health and pronounced dead at about 7:30 p.m., according to authorities. The shooting happened shortly after the father went through the restaurant’s drive-through to order dinner. He pulled into a parking space to address the payment problem, investigators said. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the father had been carrying a Glock handgun in his waistband. While bending over to deal with the payment, he removed the weapon and placed it inside the vehicle. Investigators believe the boy, who was in the back seat, then picked up the gun and fired it. Judd emphasized that this account reflected preliminary findings and that the father said he could not recall exactly where he had put the firearm. Restaurant security video reportedly showed the father leaning over while trying to clear the transaction and then getting out of the vehicle...