Sydney, April 13 -- A nine-year-old boy was killed in an accidental shooting at a rural property southwest of Sydney on Sunday, police in the state of New South Wales (NSW) said.

Emergency services were called to reports of a shooting at a property near the town of Goulburn, 170 km southwest of Sydney and 80 km northeast of Canberra, at about 11:20 a.m. local time on Sunday.

An NSW police statement said that officers arrived at the scene and were told that the boy had been injured after the "accidental discharge of a firearm."

He was treated for serious neck injuries by ambulance paramedics but died at the scene.

NSW Police said that an investigation into the incident has commenced and that a report will be prepared for the coroner....