NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A 3-year-old child is dead after what police say was an accidental, self-inflicted shooting in the 4200 block of Newsome Drive Tuesday night.

“I had no words. It was inexplicable,” said Brooklyn Foster, who lives in the apartment complex where the shooting happened.

Clock: VB woman denied bond after her son shot her other son with an unsafe firearm

VB woman arrested after child shoots 7-year-old with unsafe firearm

Foster calls the shooting death of a three-year-old child sad and senseless.

“Gun violence is unacceptable here. We have to do better as a community,” Foster said.

Newport News police said they responded around 8:15 p.m. and found the 3-year-old boy inside a home suffering from a gunshot wound.

Clock: Acting Suffolk police chief asks adults to lock guns around children after child accidentally shot

Suffolk’s acting police chief tackles violence in the city

Police said he was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

In the 911 call for the shooting, you can hear numerous first responders being dispatched.

“I couldn’t imagine being that child’s parent,” Barbara Cofield said.

Early Wednesday morning, News 3’s Kelsey Jones spoke with Cofield at the housing complex. Cofield didn’t know what had happened until Kelsey told him.

Clock: The Norfolk Police Department offers free gun locks

The Norfolk Police Department offers free gun locks

“Oh, yeah. That’s a big problem,” Cofield said when asked if he thinks kids getting their hands on guns is a problem.

Police did not say Wednesday afternoon how the child got hold of the gun.

Tuesday’s tragedy isn’t the first time this year News 3 has reported a child shot himself after getting his hands on a gun.

In May, in an exclusive interview, News 3 spoke with the father of a one-year-old who survived after accidentally shooting himself.

Clock: EXCLUSIVE: Father of 1-year-old shot in Hampton gives update on her condition

EXCLUSIVE: Father of 1-year-old shot in Hampton gives update on her condition

In August, News 3 reported that a man was found guilty of child abuse after his grandson accidentally shot himself. Sentencing is scheduled for December 2.

In Virginia, recklessly allowing someone under 14 to get their hands on a loaded, unsecured gun is a class I misdemeanor and is punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $2,500.

Clock: Virginia Beach man whose grandson accidentally shot himself has been found guilty of child abuse

Virginia Beach man whose grandson accidentally shot himself has been found guilty of child abuse

Back on the scene in Newport News, Deconte Jackson tells News 3 he thinks more needs to be done to educate gun owners.

“Once you get a firearm, when you go in there and fill everything out, you should put ‘you have children,’ and then it should have an additional educational part to avoid situations like this,” Jackson explained.

News 3 reached out to police for an interview Wednesday to try to get more information.

Chief Steve Drew was not available for an interview, but in a statement he says he is concerned for the three-year-old’s family and the officers who responded to the scene.