Deonte Johnson

Two-year-old Boys Injured in Separate Accidental Shootings Two-year-old Jaylen is recovering after he shot himself while at his father’s home in Chicago, Illinois. Deonte Johnson, age 23, lived in the home and had placed his unsecured gun on a bedroom table where Jaylen could reach it. The bullet grazed the toddler’s wrist; he expected to …

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2024

Three Unintentional Shootings Result in One Person Dead, Two Others Injured, Including a Three-year-old Boy

Bentley Delancy

In Nashville, Tennessee, Bentley Delancy, age 15, and a 16-year-old were playing with a semi-automatic pistol when it unintentionally discharged, striking Delancy in the neck. He died later at the hospital. The pistol belonged to an 18-year-old, and police are trying to determine how the teens got the gun. There is an ongoing investigation into the shooting.

Bentley's obituary says, “[f]rom a young age, Bentley distinguished himself with his dedication to academics, earning excellent grades that reflected not just his intelligence, but also his determination and hard work. He was more than just a great student; he was a lover of life, finding joy in all types of music. Bentley could always be seen with headphones snugly in place, listening to his music.”

A three-year-old boy at home in Detroit, Michigan, found his mother’s unsecured gun and shot himself in the head. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition, but is expected to recover. The boy found his mother’s gun on the dresser where she placed it after returning from work. The police chief noted there was a lock box in the house, but the gun was not in it. “...If you’re going to have a gun, which many people do, you also have to have what’s called responsibility,” said the chief. The boy’s mother, Tiara Shardae Taylor, age 38 is charged with firearms safe storage violation.

And in Panama City, Florida, De’Andre Smith, age 17, was handling a gun when he accidentally shot a friend in the leg.The injury is not life-threatening, and Smith has been charged with illegal possession of a firearm and tampering with evidence.

Sources:

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Shattered – The Gun Accident Journal

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MONDAY, JULY 21, 2025