A young child is recovering from a gun shot wound to the hip, according Prince George's County Police; Cedric Boyins says his nine-year-old grandson is expected to make a full recovery just a day after being shot by his own brother.

It happened in the 2400 block of Vermont Avenue in Landover, Md. Tuesday afternoon.

Three brothers were at home together inside the Landover apartment. Somehow, police say, the six- and nine-year-old found a 9 mm semi-automatic gun on the upstairs level of the home.

Police say the six-year-old accidentally shot the nine-year-old. The bullet hit the boy above his right hip and came out just below his hip. "I just don't think no parent should really have a gun inside the house, especially if they left them alone," said neighbor Darnell Humphries.

Police say the older brother, a 13-year-old, was watching them and called for help when he heard the gun shot. "I seen the first police car come up and I was like wow, what happened? It's terrible," said neighbor Carlethea Callahan.

While leaving smaller children in the care of a 13-year-old is legal in Maryland, some say that's too much responsibility.

Detectives took a safe from the apartment, but they haven't said whether or not the gun was inside the safe before the shooting or if it was locked up.

"This here is really pitiful. Children shouldn't even have access to the pistol. My prayers go out to the family," said one neighbor.

While neighbors question how the boys got their hands on the gun. the grandfather says it was locked up and stowed away. 

Family members say the boys' mother had the pistol for personal protection.

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