An Alabama 12-year-old who was playing with a loaded gun on Christmas Eve accidentally shot himself and later died, police said.

The shooting happened just before 5 p.m. Sunday, in the 1300 block of Pike Road in Birmingham, police said.

Officers called to the scene found the boy in an alley with a gunshot wound. The child was taken to Children’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Investigators said they believe the child was playing with the gun when he unintentionally fired it.

The shooting remains under investigation.