A six-year-old boy from Toms River passed away Tuesday, one day after he was shot by a four-year-old neighbor.

Brandon Holt
Brandon Holt (News 12 New Jersey)
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Authorities say the younger child and the victim, Brandon Holt, were playing outside when the four-year-old grabbed a .22-caliber rifle from inside his home. One shot went off, hitting Holt in the head from 15 yards away.

Holt's condition at the hospital gradually deteriorated Monday into Tuesday. A time of death was reported as 5 p.m.

At a press conference Tuesday, Toms River Police Chief Mike Mastronardy said the shooter's parents were "nearby" for the incident.

"The mother of the four-year-old is the one who called 9-1-1," Mastronardy said.

The shooting was reported just before 7 p.m. Monday. The shooter was not injured.

With an investigation underway, authorities were reluctant to release many details, including exactly where the gun was located inside the home. Mastronardy said more than one weapon was recovered by officials.

There have been no charges filed, and officials said they would "collect all the facts" before deciding how to proceed.

The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office has received the case. A relative of the four-year-old allegedly has a job with Ocean County law enforcement.

Grief counselors will be on-hand today at St Joseph's Elementary School, where Brandon was a student, and Cedar Grove Elementary School, which is near the site of the shooting.

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