Sheriff's deputies responded to a call about an accidental shooting at 5:20 p.m. in the 31000 block of Wolfskill Avenue. Upon arrival, deputies found the boy dead from a single gunshot wound. The name of the boy was not immediately released.
According to neighbor Juan Herrar, the child got a hold of a gun at the house and shot himself, but police have not confirmed this information.
About 200 marijuana plants were also found in the house, but officials said they were not related to the incident.
Detectives interviewed family members, but no arrests have been made.
Dave Shepardson, a pastor at Calvary Chapel Nuevo, said some residents own guns because of the remoteness of the area.
"We understand that there are potential dangers that those weapons may need to be used for, but there has to be that double-edged sword where the weapons have to be locked up and protected," Shepardson said.
Anyone with information about the incident was asked to contact James Campos of the Central Homicide Unit at (951) 955-2777, or Thomas Salisbury of the Perris Station at (951) 210-1000.
