Boy finds keys to his grandfather's gun safe, takes gun, unintentionally shoots and kills sleeping woman

A 12-year-old Kalamazoo, Michigan boy, who investigators said is "mentally impaired," found the keys to his grandfather's gun safe, unlocked the safe, removed and loaded a shotgun.

According to his grandfather the boy "got up before anybody this morning at 5:30 a.m. He said he was in my pocket trying to get change and he found the gun safe key. It's always locked up, and I always have the key on me."

The grandfather said that when the boy tried to unload the shotgun he unintentionally discharged the gun.  The pellets went through a nearby closet wall and struck a 28-year-old woman who was sleeping in the living room.

The grandfather said "we turned the light on and we could see all the blood. It was only minutes. She was still breathing, but by the time the police got here, she'd passed away."

The boy is staying with a family member.  The grandfather said his grandson is an apprentice hunter and has used guns before.  He said the boy "handled guns very safely and wouldn't touch a gun unless he was told it was okay to pick it up." He added that the boy "doesn't realize what he's done."