A four-year-old Toms River boy remains in a trauma unit after being shot in the head by his four-year-old neighbor. His condition has been downgraded from stable to serious.

(L-R) Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronado & Toms River Police Chief Mike Mastronardy at a press conference
(L-R) Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronado & Toms River Police Chief Mike Mastronardy at a press conference (Jason Allentoff, Townsquare Media NJ)
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At a morning press conference, Toms River Police Chief Mike Mastronardy and Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronado offered little detail about the victims.

They said the  incident occurred at 6:43 p.m. The four-year-old took the .22 caliber rifle from inside his house and brought it out to the yard. A shot was fired at the six-year-old from 15 yards out.

The four-year-old boy's parents were "nearby," but officials would not elaborate. The young shooter's mother called 9-1-1.

Mastronardy and Coronado also did not offer information about whether or not the gun was legally registered and how it was stored, and whether or not the gun went off accidentally.

Home in Toms River where a 4-year-old shot a 6-year-old
Home in Toms River where a 4-year-old shot a 6-year-old (WTXF TV)
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Counselors were on hand at both St. Joseph's Grade School in Toms River, where the six-year-old is a student, and the Cedar Grove Elementary School, the school in the neighborhood where the boys live.

 The Associated Press contributed to this story

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