Indianapolis police said the shooting at a home in the 8600 block of Liberty Mills Drive, in the Heartland Crossing subdivision just east of State Road 67, happened at about 9:30 a.m. and appears to be accidental.

A bullet from a .40-caliber handgun went through the child's upper-right arm, breaking it. His injuries were not life-threatening.

The boy was taken to Methodist Hospital in stable condition, said Kendale Adams, Indianapolis police public information officer.

Dispatchers said police made a run to the same home over the weekend because of a domestic dispute.

Police said the boy's mother told them she felt threatened and called police to report vandalism.

"Mom called to report a disturbance against her live-in boyfriend," Adams said. "She then moved the gun down for fear that he may come back and try to be violent with her."

The woman told investigators that she took a gun from a hiding place in a 5-foot-high storage shelf, moved it to her dresser drawer and forgot to put it back.

"Our investigators don't believe that mom had necessarily done anything wrong or anything that's negligent," Adams said.

The child got hold of the gun and apparently shot himself, police said. His mother and a 15-year-old brother were also home at the time. The child's identity wasn't immediately released.

"We've seen him out running around, seen him go across the street a couple of times," said neighbor Steve Harman.

Child Protective Services were called to the scene. The case will be turned over to the Marion County Prosecutor's Office, which will decide if charges will be filed.