Toddler Dies in Celebratory Gunfire Incident on New Year’s Eve

Brayden Smith, a 3-year-old from Memphis, Tennessee, died after being struck by a stray bullet from what police believe was celebratory gunfire. The boy was at home with his family celebrating New Year’s Eve, when he was struck in the head by a bullet that came through a front window. His grandmother said the family heard shots, but thought it was fireworks before they realized it was gunfire and that Brayden had been shot. He was placed on life support before he succumbed to his injuries.

The police chief reminded citizens that celebratory gunfire is illegal in Memphis. “Do not shoot guns for celebration. The bullets will come down somewhere, and if those bullets come down and hit a person, it will injure a person. It is a crime to shoot a gun in celebratory gunfire,” he said.

Source:

Megan Fayard, Ashley Paul, Jessica Knox, “3-year-old Struck by Stray Bullet, Critically Injured on NYE,” wreg.com (January 1, 2024).