Three-year-old Finds Gun Under Couch, Shoots and Kills Himself

Jaxon Truitt, a three-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina boy, found a loaded gun under a couch in his home and shot and killed himself. The boy’s father, Richard Allen Truitt, age 36, was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter and failure to secure a firearm.

Truitt is being held on $10,000 bond. At the bond hearing, Jaxon’s mother addressed the court and pleaded for Truitt to be allowed to attend the funeral.

A neighbor said, “People have guns and I’m not against guns. Don’t get me wrong, but they should keep them up especially when there are small children around.” A local gun store owner added, “[w]e’ve got every kind of lock box you want, free gun locks, and all it takes is a little bit of careful.”

Source:

Almiya White, “Father Left Gun Under Couch Before 3-year-old Son Fatally Shot Self, Prosecutors Say,” wsoctv.com (April 17, 2023).