CLARKSTON, Wash. - A 3-year-old boy died Monday afternoon after shooting himself in the chest with a handgun.

The accident happened around 3:45 p.m. at a home in the 700 block of 3rd Street, said Clarkston Police Chief Joel Hastings.

Hastings said the boy, identified as Dallas Jackson of Lewiston, Idaho, and his mother were at the mother's boyfriend's house. The two were outside working in the yard when Dallas went inside to use the bathroom.

After a few minutes, his mother went inside to check on him and as she entered the home, she heard a gunshot. She ran into the bedroom and found Dallas lying on the floor with a wound to his chest. She ran outside to summon help and call 911, and a neighbor raced over to perform CPR until police and medics could arrive.

Dallas was taken to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center where he later died.

Hastings said their investigation showed that Dallas had wandered into a bedroom and found a 9mm semi-automatic gun in one of the bedroom drawers. The boyfriend lived in the home alone and does not have any kids of his own, and the mother had no idea there was a gun in the house, Hastings said.

The boyfriend was out getting home improvement supplies and was not home at the time of the shooting.

Police will forward their investigation on to prosecutors, but Hastings said he did not expect any charges to be filed.