5-year-old boy accidentally shot dead by 10-year-old brother

A 10-year-old American boy accidentally shot and killed his five-year-old brother with a gun he found at his home

A male babysitter was looking after the brothers while their parents were out at the time of the shooting.

He and his older brother were playing in a room next door to the babysitter when the man heard a shot.

The incident took place at a house in Belleville, Illinois, the Daily Mail reports.

The five-year-old died yesterday in what police described as an ''extremely tragic'' accidental shooting.

"This was not a self-inflicted wound. We''re still trying to determine how they got access to the weapon," said Belleville Police Chief Bill Clay.

They are questioning the ten-year-old, but said that he has not been detained.