FORESTDALE, Alabama - A 5-year-old Forestdale girl is recovering after she was accidentally shot in the ear lobe by her 8-year-old brother.

The shooting happened Thursday night inside the family's home on Persimmon Street. The mother told deputies they were all in the kitchen when the 8-year-old came in and started saying, "Gun, gun, gun."

As they looked toward him, they heard a loud bang and saw a shotgun fall out of his hands and land on the kitchen floor, said Jefferson County sheriff's Chief Deputy Randy Christian.

After hearing the blast, they noticed the little girl was bleeding and called 911.

The family told authorities they kept the shotgun in a locked closet in the master bedroom and didn't know how he was able to get into the room. After the shooting, the 12-year-old brother grabbed the shotgun and took it to the master bedroom and put it under the bed, Christian said.

A deputy checked the gun, found the safety switch to be in "fire" mode and rendered the gun safe.

Christian said the girl's injury was minor.