The death of Kyle Buffington appears to be an accident, Webster Chief Deputy Sheriff Bobby Igo said. An autopsy will be conducted to help investigators determine what happened. He said there was no evidence of suicide or another person being involved.

The shooting happened Monday afternoon at the family home outside Minden. The victim's mother was a local veterinarian and his father was a wildlife agent, Igo said.

Investigators believe Kyle had gotten the weapon out of a gun cabinet and put the holster on his hip. He apparently was wearing it when he sat in a chair on the carport but he dropped it or it it fell and hit the floor of the carport, Igo said. The boy was shot in the face.

A babysitter was in the other end of the house with Kyle's baby sibling and did not hear the gunshot, Igo said. He said the TV and the washing machine were on at the time.

Kyle's mother, Ashley, came home from work and found her son dead, Igo said. The boy's father was in Dallas with another child who had undergone heart surgery.

Igo said investigators don't know why Kyle took the gun out of the cabinet. He had told the baby-sitter he was going to cut the grass, Igo said.