Two Children Killed After Being Accidentally Shot

An eight-year-old accidentally shot and killed their 10-year-old sister, Kimani Thomas, near a restaurant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The children’s mother and stepfather both work at the restaurant; the stepfather was going to work, the mother was leaving, when the shooting happened. The eight-year-old was in a car playing with a gun when it fired, striking Kimani who was outside the vehicle. There is an investigation into the shooting.

Kimani was the second child in less than 72 hours to die from gun violence in Baton Rouge. The school superintendent released a statement about the two deaths, noting that Kimani was lost in an accidental shooting. “…It is a heartbreaking reminder that children must never have access to firearms. Securing guns at all times is not optional. It is a responsibility that protects lives. Every adult has a role to play in ensuring that weapons are safely stored and kept out of the hands of children.”

And in an apartment in Richmond, Virginia, a six-year-old girl was accidentally shot and killed. In a memorial to the girl, pink and white balloons, flowers, and stuffed animals were placed outside the apartment by neighbors. Police are investigating, but have released few details. 

Sources:

“10-year-old Girl Dies in ‘Accidental’ Shooting Involving Another Child on Government Street,” wafb.com (March 11, 2026).

Cherisse Hoffman, “Memorial Grows as Questions Remain in Fatal Petersburg Shooting of 6-year-old,”12onyourside.com (March 12, 2026).