Gun Tragedy at Alabama Lawmaker's Home — Ernie Yarbrough's 6-Year-Old Son Accidentally Shoots Teen Brother
Alabama Representative Ernie Yarbrough's young son shot his older teen brother.
March 26 2026, Published 6:20 p.m. ET
The six-year-old son of an Alabama state lawmaker accidentally shot his 13-year-old brother at the family’s home, RadarOnline.com can report.
Republican Rep. Ernie Yarbrough's teen was hit in his shoulder, but is expected to make a full recovery.
The Shooting Is Labeled an Accident
The Republican's son is expected to recover.
According to reports, the child got hold of his father's .556-caliber AR-style rifle from a bedroom and fired it, striking the teen. Luckily, it was merely a flesh-wound, and the older brother was able to receive treatment at a nearby hospital.
"Thanks be to God, all is well. A flesh wound only," the politician in a text to the Alabama Daily News. "He has been playing basketball with me tonight."
Yarbrough, his wife, and their two other children were all home when the incident occurred. The shooting is being labeled as an "accident" by local authorities and is being investigated by the Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office.
Ernie Yarbrough Is Strong Supporter of the Second Amendment
Yarbrough is serving his first term in Alabama.
Yarbrough has been in the Alabama statehouse since 2022. He is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and previously sponsored a bill that prohibits the enforcement of any "red flag" laws, which are intended to prevent mentally and emotionally unstable people from possessing firearms.
The bill, dubbed the "Anti-Red Flag Gun Seizure Act," stipulated that any state or local law enforcement officer found enforcing a red flag law would be subject to a $50,000 civil penalty.
It failed to pass in 2023 and failed again in 2025.
'Completely Pointless'
Critics questioned Yarbrough's responsibility in the accident.
It is unclear if the parents will face charges. However, the representative seems to have already been convicted in the court of public opinion.
"Folks, get a gun safe," one critic scolded in a Reddit chat room. "Children are never safe around firearms, regardless of how responsible you hope them to be."
Another blasted: "Rep. Yarbrough belongs in prison. Completely pointless and avoidable tragedy. At minimum, he should not be representing us if he’s this irresponsible."
While one person opined, "It really needs to be more of a thing. If a child gets hold of a gun that was not properly secured, then the gun owner absolutely should face criminal charges."
Charges Are a Possibility
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The parents could ultimately face charges.
A local attorney said charges could be warranted.
"If you've got a loaded gun and you’ve got children in the house, you've got to worry about a civil lawsuit if someone gets hurt, and you've got to worry about possible criminal prosecution," Huntsville Attorney Mark McDaniel told WHNT.
McDaniel said tragedies and near-tragedies like this are entirely preventable.
"If you have a gun and you have it even in a closet, where you can get it in the closet, that’s not good enough," McDaniel said. "You need to have the gun secured. You need to have it in a safe. You need to have it in a place that the child cannot get to."
McDaniel noted the parents could face criminal charges, including either reckless or negligent assault. However, the investigation would need to reveal strong evidence to prove either charge.
"The parent can be held responsible, McDaniel explained. "Not for the child’s act, but the fact that they were negligent in having the gun out there where a child could get to it."
