Reports of Unintended Gun Violence Collected from Media Reports Across the United States
Details are scarce about an incident in which 5-year old Amani Barringer was shot in the neck by her 14-year old brother with an unsecured gun. Amani was home, in Charlotte, North Carolina, with two teenagers age 14 and 15, when she was killed. The 14-year old was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter. An …
In Wichita, Kansas, 18-year old Jeremy Retana was accidentally shot and killed by a child outside a store. 21-year old Christian Concha faces charges of felony murder and aggravated child endangerment because he left a gun in the care of two children while he went into a convenience store. The children were 10 and 9-years …
13-year old DeAdrian Walker of San Antonio, Texas died when a handgun he was playing with accidentally fired and hit him in the chest. The gun may have been stolen. Several other teenagers who were with DeAdrian at at the time of the gun accident are cooperating with an ongoing investigation. In Cincinnati, Ohio, 16-year …
An 11-year old and a 12-year old were involved in gun accidents today. In Lake County, Florida, 12-year old Jeremyah Wyatt found an unsecured gun in his home and accidentally shot and killed himself. “This is that one of those calls that deputies don’t want to ever go to — and paramedics. No one wants …
A young child in Virginia Beach, Virginia found a loaded unsecured firearm today, picked it up and accidentally shot himself. The child’s age was not released. His injuries were not considered life-threatening. In Virginia, it is illegal for a person “to recklessly leave a loaded, unsecured firearm in such a manner as to endanger the …
A 6-year old Cincinnati, Ohio child found a gun and shot himself while his mother slept. His mother, Darnasia McKinney, 26, was arrested and charged with felony child endangerment. The boy was hospitalized. No information about his condition is available. It is unclear how the boy will be cared for upon release from the hospital. …
A three-year old in Springfield, Illinois apparently found a loaded unsecured firearm and shot himself. The child’s injuries are not believed to be life threatening. This gun accident occurred in the home of a relative who is not the child’s legal guardian. According to the report, the relative was the legally licensed owner of the …
In Nyack, New York, two young men were fooling around with a gun in a car when it went off. Darien Brydie, a 21-year old Illinois man died after surgery at a local hospital. Collyer Goodman, an 18-year old from Valley Cottage, New York was arrested and charged with second degree manslaughter. “This appears to …
In San Angelo, Texas, another 2-year old was shot by a young sibling who had found a gun. It is unclear whether the injuries are life threatening. Police and the local child services agency are investigating. No arrests have been made. Source: “San Angelo Police Respond to an Accidental Shooting Incident Involving a 2-year Old …
A 14-year-old Columbus, Ohio boy shot himself in the hand in a gun accident today. He later told police he was handling “his handgun” when he accidentally shot himself. The boy’s mother was inside the house sleeping when the incident took place. In Ohio, a person must be over 21 to purchase a handgun, but …
Continuing a string of horrific accidents involving Indiana children, a 9-year old South Bend boy was shot today, apparently by his older brother. Tre’von Barnett and a group of neighborhood kids were playing with a gun which went off. Responding police found Tre’von dead in the yard. Investigators are attempting to figure out how the …
In Charlotte, North Carolina, 2-year old Amor Cureton shot and killed himself with a loaded handgun in a motel. His father Antonio Cureton was arrested and charged with “involuntary manslaughter, two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a stolen firearm and failure to secure a firearm to protect a …
Two children unintentionally shot and killed others while playing with guns today. Each gun accident involves two shattered lives. In Biloxi, Mississippi, a “deceased male … under the age of 18” was “hanging out at an apartment” with friends when a 13-year old, Jayden Kyshun Frazier, started showing off a gun and pointing it at …
Two children found guns in their homes and accidentally shot and killed themselves today. In Saginaw, Michigan, a five-year old boy found a gun. According to police, he died of “self-inflicted gunshot wounds.” They have called the incident a “tragic accident.” While they investigate to determine how the boy got ahold of the gun, “their …
In Pensacola, Florida, 7-year old Aniyah Nettles was shot and killed, likely by another small child. She was on her grandmother’s front porch at the time she was shot. Police continue to investigate and are not yet certain how the child who shot Aniyah got the gun. Source: Brianna Hollis, “State Attorney will Review Evidence …
In Indian Head, Maryland, police are investigating a gun accident in which a 12-year old boy was accidentally killed. He and a 13-year old relative were playing with a gun in a bedroom when the gun “discharged.” It is unclear how the boys came into possession of the gun. “This is such a tragic situation …
Two more children died this week in gun accidents that might have been prevented by safe storage laws. Also today, a popular former North Carolina law enforcement officer died while working in Hawaii when a rifle accidentally fired inside a police station. In Memphis, Tennessee, a 14-year old girl died when a boy was handing her …
A two-year old boy died in a gun accident Saturday night in Graniteville, South Carolina. He “accessed a handgun and shot himself” according to a news report. Deputies arriving at the scene “observed a complainant sitting on the ground in the roadway holding her 2-year-old son, Jamarious Rogers, in her arms.” He later died at …
In yet another incident involving an Indiana child, a 2-year old found a gun at home and was shot in the arm. According to police, there was an adult in the home at the time. Others left the apartment before police arrived. The child is in serious but stable condition. Source: “IMPD Investigating 2-year-old Shot …
A Laramie, Wyoming 14-year old has been arrested and charged with manslaughter after an incident in which he killed a 13-year old. Although the details remain murky, comments on the Laramie police department’s Facebook page by relatives and others suggest that the children were playing with a gun while drinking in the park. It is …
In LaGrange, Georgia, 22-year old Haley Newsom was shot in the head and killed in an apparent gun accident on Sunday. According to a statement issued by the Troup County Sheriff’s Office: “After speaking with witnesses in the home, investigators have determined that the following occurred. A 17-year-old white male identified as Cameryn Phillips was …
For the third day in a row, a young child was killed in a gun accident. In Commerce City, Colorado, a three-year old boy was found shot to death in an incident that involved “mishandling” of a gun. Two siblings, ages 12 and 13, were present in the home at the time of the incident, …
A local new story in St. Louis begins, “[a]nother child has been killed by a gun, this time a 6-year-old … St. Louis Police are not releasing much information.” It is at least the tenth death of a child in or around St. Louis since the beginning of the year. According to the report, a caller …
In a gun accident in Rochelle, Georgia, a four-year old girl was shot and killed. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation found that “the child was shot while she and her 3-year-old brother were playing with a gun.” The GBI found that the gun was unsecured. The girl’s father, Johnny Lee Kellom, was arrested after the …
In separate incidents, two young children found unsecured handguns today and accidentally shot and injured a sibling. In Beulaville, North Carolina, a 6-year old girl found a handgun in her home and shot her 12-year old sister in the back. The 12-year old is at the hospital in critical condition. An 18-year old was charged …
In Hendersonville, Tennessee John Robert Moore, a two-year old boy, found an unattended loaded handgun in his father’s car and shot himself. His father was a volunteer firefighter and the two were visiting the Shackle Island fire station at the time of the accident. “Everybody loved that little boy,” said Martin Bowers, fire chief for …
A two-year old Elkview, West Virginia toddler is dead after he found an unsecured gun in a bedroom of his home and used it to shoot himself in the head. A parent and a sibling were in the home at the time. Putting aside a parent’s responsibility to unload and safely secure guns when children …
Three young children were accidentally shot and killed today, one at his own hand and the other two by relatives. In Springboro, Ohio, a five-year old boy shot and killed himself with his grandmother’s gun. The boy’s father told police that he woke to the sound of a gunshot. In Jackson County, West Virginia, a …
To pick up where we left off yesterday, in New York City today, 7-year old Kayley Santiago was struck in the thigh by stray gunfire while walking in the street with family members. 16-year old Isaiah Vazquez was firing at a rival and Kayley was an unintended victim. Vazquez was charged with attempted murder, assault …
A three-year old boy died after a gun accident in Lima, Ohio. The circumstances of the accident are not available. The accident brings to mind the accidental shooting of Aubrie Moore, a four-year old Middle Point, Ohio girl who shot herself with a found gun in April. On June 11, her parents were charged with …
One-year old Javion Sexton of South Bend, Indiana was shot and killed today by his four-year old brother, according to the County Prosecutor’s office. “An autopsy conducted Friday found the cause of death to be a gunshot wound and the manner of death to be accidental,” the office said. Javion’s obituary states, he “liked being …
In Atlanta, Georgia, a 6-year old boy was shot and killed by a young sibling who found a gun. “During the course of the investigation, it was determined that the siblings of the victim, ages 8 and 4, were also present during the shooting,” a police spokesman said in a news release. “Preliminary investigation …
A 16-year old Houston, Texas teenager was killed when a gun accidentally fired while in his pocket. The boy was playing basketball with friends when he went indoors to rest. The gun went off when he slapped his leg. According to a Houston police officer, “[s]omehow that juvenile was shot and he has passed away …
Another two-year old Jacksonville, Florida toddler died after an apparent gun accident today. Although some of the circumstances of the accident are unclear, the child and/or a young sibling apparently found a loaded gun in their home. One of them fired it and the toddler is dead. Police confirmed that there were also adults present …
Two children were injured in gun accidents today. In Panama Beach City, Florida, a toddler found a gun in the family car and shot himself in the stomach. He is recovering at the hospital. In San Antonio, Texas, a 14-year old girl was shot in the chest and arm when she was grabbing something from …
19-year old Teshawn Bragg of Columbus Ohio suffered life-threatening injuries when he was accidentally shot by a 15-year old who was handling a gun. Police are investigating and have charged the 15-year old in juvenile court. Bragg is hospitalized in critical condition. Source: Jim Woods, “Young Man Will Survive after Being Seriously Injured in Shooting,” …
11-year old Cash Cover of Kamas, Utah, apparently found a gun in his home. Although details of the incident are scarce, he shot himself in the chest and later died of his wounds. Cash “lost his life in a tragic accident involving a gun,” the family said in a statement. “Our hearts are broken, and …
Police announced that Chance Gilbert, an 8-year old Hamilton, Ohio boy who was killed by an accidental gunshot earlier this month, was shot by his nine-year old friend. Chance and the 9-year old were playing with guns. “The only one in this whole investigation really who has shown courage and told the truth was the …
In Morris, Alabama, a five-year old boy found a gun in his home and shot himself in the face. He later died of his wound. “It’s just a tragic accident it appears,” the Morris police chief said. The police will present findings to the District Attorney’s office on Monday. In Portland, North Dakota, a newspaper …
For at least the sixth time this month and the third time this week, a toddler died in a gun accident. This time a three-year old in Flint, Michigan found a gun in his home and shot and killed himself. Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley said, “[t]his is a tragedy and a loss no one should …
In White, Georgia, a five-year old girl shot and killed herself while playing with a gun she found at a campsite. Her grandmother, Kimberly Anne Roberts, and an unrelated man were arrested and charged with felony involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct. Both adults are being held at Bartow County Jail. Source: Asia Simone Burns, “Grandmother, …
A three-year old in St. Louis was shot and killed with a gun. Although the police did not confirm that he shot himself, they did call the shooting an accident. “This is a heartbreaking and horrific tragedy,” St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson said in a statement. “It’s also a serious reminder of the responsibility that …
Arya Gray, a 15-year old Miami, Florida girl, was accidentally shot and killed by a 17-year old boy who was brandishing a stolen gun. According to an arrest report, 17-year old Thalys Olivera “recklessly brandished” a gun inside the apartment that Arya was visiting, and witnesses told the 17-year-old to put it away. Olivera did …
Griffin, Georgia police announced today that a 5-year old boy and his brothers found a loaded gun in the woods near their home. The boy, believing the gun was a toy, discharged it and shot his 12-year old brother in the chest. The 12-year old died at the hospital. Evidence suggests that the gun was …
Five-year old Ja’Cari Ellis found a gun and shot himself in St. Petersburg Florida today. He was rushed to the hospital where he later died. “Our preliminary investigation has so far revealed that this was a tragic accident, that Ja’Cari got a hold of a gun and accidentally shot himself,” a St. Petersburg Police spokesperson …
Few details were reported about three incidents in which people were shot and injured in gun accidents today. In Auburn, Alabama a young person was flown to the hospital and is in stable condition after being accidentally shot at an apartment complex. The child’s age and the circumstances of the accident were not reported. In …
Two toddlers died in gun accidents today. One found a gun and shot himself, the other was shot by a young sibling. Three-year old Bryson Skinner died after finding in a handgun in his home and shooting himself by accident. A related 22-year adult and his girlfriend were arrested and charged with felony child abuse. …
For the second day in a row, a child was shot in a gun accident in Central Alabama. Today, a Fairfield four-year old was shot in the back of a car by a younger sibling. The accident occurred in the parking lot of a local mall. The child remains in critical condition. Police are investigating. …
A five-year old Chicago, Illinois boy found a gun in his father’s pants pocket and used it to shoot himself in the hand. He was taken to a hospital where he is expected to recover. His father attempted to discard the gun and was later arrested. Charges are pending. Source: Molly Walsh, “5-Year-Old Boy Accidentally …
Three children and an adult were killed in gun accidents today. The adult was shot to death by his two-year old child. Each of the news stories marking these deaths was brief: In Ooltewah, Tennessee, Jermaine Vincent, a three-year old, found a gun that a family friend had brought to his home and fatally shot …
An unidentified Houston, Texas boy who was playing with a gun in front of his friends, accidentally shot himself in the stomach. He later died of his wounds at the hospital. According to authorities, it is unclear who owned the gun. This is the ninth tragic gun accident in the Houston area that we’ve reported …
Two more young children died in gun accidents in their homes today. In Westminster, Colorado, a three-year old girl, Ruby Jackson, was shot and killed while playing with her seven-year old brother. She was shot in the chest as the children played ‘swords.’ “Ruby was using a broomstick, but at some point her brother picked …
In an Evans, Georgia gun accident, a 2-year old girl was shot in the abdomen by her 8-year old brother. The child had found a gun while watching TV and was playing with it when it went off. Police are investigating who brought the gun into the home. Source: “Who Owned Gun Used in Accidental …
Amir Jennings Green, a 4-year old in Thornton, Illinois, found a loaded gun in the basement of his home today. He fired it and killed himself. This is the third gun accident in two days in which a toddler found a gun and fired it. Source: “4-year-old Dies After Accidentally Shooting Himself in Thornton,” WGN …
Two young children gained access to guns today and shot themselves. At a Wawa grocery in Henrico County Virginia, a 5-year old found a loaded gun in a car while her parents were pumping gas at the Wawa. She shot herself in the hand. In Charlotte, North Carolina, a 3-year old was taken from her …
Here is the entirety of a report about an incident that occurred today in Bessemer, Alabama: “The 12-year-old boy who was shot in the head Monday by his brother while playing with a gun has died, according to the Bessemer Police Department. No other information has been released at this time.” Source: Phil Pinarski, “12-year-old …
In Northwoods, Missouri, a 15-year old boy accidentally shot his 12-year old sister, Nakyah Durham. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The boy was handling a firearm when it accidentally discharged. He has been arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter. Source: Associated Press, “Police: 15-Year-Old Accidentally Shot 12-Year-Old Sister,” US News and World Report …
Three children were accidentally shot in their own homes yesterday. Each incident involved a handgun apparently left unsecured. Two 12-year old boys in Springfield, Oregon, who were off from school due to the coronavirus on Tuesday morning, found a gun belonging to a family member and were playing with it when it went off. One …
A three-year old Louisville, Kentucky girl is dead. According to a report, Fayth Graham found a loaded gun in her home and shot herself. “We’re still in the very early stages of the investigation, and really, at this point, that’s way down the line,” a police spokesperson responded when questions were raised about whether the …
A 13-year old boy in Memphis Tennessee was charged with negligent homicide after accidentally shooting 9-year old Xavier Jackson with a gun that he found unsecured. A 26-year old man, Lindsey Williams, was also charged with negligent homicide in connection with the incident. “Too many kids in Memphis have died this year,” a relative said. …
Derrius Atkinson, a Wake Forest, North Carolina teenager pled guilty and was sentenced to 13-25 months in prison in connection with a 2018 gun accident that left his best friend dead. Atkinson was also ordered to pay restitution. Rodshawn Barnes, Atkinson, and two other boys were playing video games at Barnes’ home, while also playing …
Darric Appleton, a 14-year old Phoenix, Arizona teenager, was accidentally shot and killed by a 16-year old friend. 7 children, age 5-16, were in the home at the time of the incident. No adults were present. According to police, the 16-year old brought a gun to the residence, pointed it, and accidentally pulled the trigger. …
A child is dead after a gun accident in Fairview, North Carolina. Although sources indicate that the wound was self inflicted and that the victim was five-years old, authorities expressly declined to release any details of the incident on the basis that the victim was under 18. An investigation is ongoing. This case illustrates the …
A three-year old shot himself in the head today in Columbia, South Carolina with a gun he found in a bedroom in his home. He is hospitalized in critical condition. His mother was later charged with “unlawful conduct toward a child.” In Bolivar, Missouri a two-year old child shot his four-year old brother in the …
In Biloxi, Mississipi, Bennie Hiep Lu, a 15-year old, accidentally shot and killed another teenager. The boys were playing with a gun and Lu pulled the trigger in the belief that the gun was unloaded. Reports indicate that “Bennie has been placed under arrest and is being charged as an adult with manslaughter. … After …
For the third day in a row, a child was accidentally shot in East Texas by another child. In Joaquin, Texas, 17-year old Heston Avery accidentally shot and killed his teenage friend, whose name was not reported. At the time of the shooting, Avery called for emergency help, but deputies pronounced the victim dead at …
A 15-year old in Houston, Texas turned himself in to police after accidentally shooting his 5-year old sister in the stomach. The accident occurred while his parents were asleep. The boy panicked and ran from the home when his parents woke up to the sound of the gunshot. The 5-year old was rushed to a …
Two Tennessee teens were unintentionally shot this weekend. One is dead and the other is recovering at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. In Memphis, 16-year old Jordan Milan was shot and killed by his 17-year old friend, who was playing with a gun. The 17-year old, who was not identified by police, was arrested and charged …
A 13-year old Muskegon Heights, Michigan boy fired a flare gun that accidentally passed through a window and started a fire in the home of an 88-year old neighbor. Police officers responding to the incident heard a faint cry for help from inside the dwelling and rescued the 88-year old and her unconscious cat. The …
On Valentine’s Day, four young children were shot and injured in their homes by other children. Three children were shot in two incidents in Chicago, Illinois. The other incident occurred in Dallas, Texas. An eight-year old boy and a 12-year old girl were both shot in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side by another …
14-year old Jesus Jimenez Solis was cleaning a gun in his bedroom when it accidentally fired, killing his 15-year old friend, Sylas Lieb. Jimenez Solis, an Omaha Nebraska boy, was holding the gun in his lap and wiping it with a towel when it went off. Lieb died at the scene. According to investigators, Jimenez …
In Tampa, Florida, 17-year old Ivan Johnson died today after being shot with a BB fired from a pellet gun by an eight-year old friend while they were waiting for the younger boy’s father in the father’s car. The BB struck Ivan in the eye. He was taken to a hospital before dying three days …
Lincoln Mack, a 4-year old boy in Pemberton Township, New Jersey, accidentally shot and killed himself today after finding a loaded handgun in his home. His parents and two siblings were in the home at the time. Lincoln’s preschool teachers described him as a “sweet and fun little boy with a smile that lit up …
In Harvest, Alabama, five-year old Maxton Hughes, the son of a Huntsville police officer, apparently found a gun in the family car and accidentally shot himself in the head. A parent found the child and drove him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. An investigation is ongoing but no charges are expected. “This …
Three-year old Keegan Vasquez shot himself in the face with a .25 caliber pistol he found on a TV stand in his great-grandmother’s home. The Callaghan County, Texas boy was taken to a hospital in Fort Worth, where he later died. The boy’s great-grandmother said that she had forgotten that the gun was there. The …
Four young children accidentally shot themselves today with found guns in separate incidents. Two are dead. Two are hospitalized. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania a four-year old found a Glock pistol in a closet and shot himself in the head in his bedroom. His three-year old brother was in the room at the time. Police say the …
A 10-year old St. Louis, Missouri boy found a gun outside his apartment building, brought it inside and accidentally shot himself in the leg. The gun had earlier been stolen in Springfield, Missouri according to police. Source: “Boy, 10, Accidentally Shot Himself With Stolen Gun He Found Outside, Police Say,” KMOV4 (January 30, 2020).
In Byesville, Ohio, 37-year old David Wray was charged as: “a parent, guardian, custodian, person having custody or control, or person in loco parentis of a child under 18 years of age, who did create a substantial risk of the health or safety of an unidentified child, by violating a duty of care, protection or …
In another fatal gun accident involving a child in Pataskala, Ohio, a town of less than 16,000 people near Columbus (see December 14, 2019), 15-year old Noah Bigham shot and killed his best friend, Hunter Cooper, a high school freshman, while attempting to distract him from playing a video game. Noah was using the laser …
3-year old Amir Antoine of Baton Rouge, Louisiana shot and killed himself Saturday morning in his home. He was handling a gun and accidentally pulled the trigger. This was the second accidental shooting in the Antoine home in the last four years. In 2016, 17-year-old Ahmad Antoine was charged with negligent homicide after he accidentally …
Of eight reports of accidental shootings today, involving a total of 11 shooting incidents, three occurred in Ohio, one each in Mississippi, Wyoming, Florida, North Carolina and Virginia. None of the 11 shootings was fatal. Two of the incidents involved accidental self-inflicted shootings, three involved young children shot accidentally by others, three involved women apparently …
In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, an 8-year old found his father’s loaded handgun when his father left him alone briefly in the car while shopping. The boy shot himself in the leg. He was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Just over a month ago, a Fort Lauderdale toddler also found his father’s loaded handgun …
19-year old Cesar Cortes was accidentally shot and killed today at Bellaire High School, just outside of Houston, Texas. The shooter was his 16-year old friend, a boy who has not been identified because of his age. According to authorities, both the shooter and Cortes were members of the High School’s JROTC program. The younger …
According to a Riverside, Ohio police sergeant, “a 3-year-old got ahold of his father’s weapon and accidentally shot himself in the leg.” The boy found the gun in a bedroom and brought it to the living room where he was playing with it when it went off. The boy’s father was home at the time. …
A 20 year-old Rio Communities, New Mexico man was airlifted to the hospital after suffering injuries from a close range shotgun blast in his own home. The round was fired by the man’s 12-year old brother. The shooting was found to be “negligent/accidental in nature.” The New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department was notified. …
18-year old Jacarie Mozell accidentally shot and injured himself in Ocala, Florida today. According to witnesses, Mr. Mozell was putting a gun in his waistband when it discharged. At the time of the report, Mr. Mozell was recovering at a local hospital. Source: Austin L. Miller, “Ocala PD: Injured Man Apparently Shot Himself,” Ocala Star …
A 13-year old boy was killed in Tulsa, Oklahoma while passing around a gun with his friends. The wound was self-inflicted. The gun belonged to the parents of the boy who was shot. Police say the magazine was removed, but that there was a bullet in the chamber. “Parents do not educate their children enough …
In Buna, Texas, “a tragic end to Christmas left the town shaken.” 15-year old James Johnson was shot and killed when a 9 mm pistol was accidentally fired by his 10-year old brother. A cousin, 19, had brought the gun to Johnson’s home and the teens were passing it around, believing it to be unloaded. …
Less than two weeks after 15-year old Bradley Hulett was accidentally shot to death (see entry for December 12, 2019), another Tampa, Florida area teen was shot and killed in a gun accident. 13-year old Steven McQueen was accidentally shot and killed by a sibling. Comments on the newspaper’s Facebook page include the following: Alfred …
A Carlisle, Ohio high school junior was accidentally shot in the face Monday evening at a friend’s home. The girl was shot through the left cheek with a .22 caliber handgun and the bullet is lodged behind her left ear. She is expected to survive. At the time of the incident, the teenager who shot …