3-year-old boy fatally shoots self with gun adults thought was a toy (UPDATED)

CLINTON TWP., Mich. (WJBK) - WEB UPDATE (8:25): A man has been taken into custody in connection to the shooting as a person of interest.

A 3-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed himself in Clinton Township on Tuesday, as adults standing nearby believed the gun was just a toy.

The incident happened at the Newport Apartments. Police tape surrounded little bicycles where little children played around 1 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

Children were playing with what they thought was a toy gun until it fired, killing 3-year-old Cameron Dillard.

"I watched him hug the little boy and they hit the ground. We were laughing about it. Literally not even three minutes later it was bang -- that's how quick it was," said witness Shalanda Johnson.

Witnesses say they were standing just feet away talking to Cameron's mother with a group of children ages 2 through 9 playing nearby.

The witnesses says what the children couldn't know, and what the adults didn't know, is that one of their toys was all too real.

"They thought it was a toy gun. The kids thought it was a toy gun and was passing it around. My daughter says as soon as she handed it to him, he pulled the trigger and shot himself," Johnson said.

"They thought the gun was a toy gun but in reality the gun was a real gun and it was loaded," said Police Chief Fred Posavetz. "The little boy actually had shot himself in the side."

Witnesses say an adult at the apartment complex had unknowingly dropped the gun, which couldn't be immediately located following the shooting.

"We're looking for the gun right now. We're looking for any additional information at this time. This is an ongoing investigation," Posavetz said.