Montrae K. Stalling

Two Deadly Accidental Shootings Inside a car in Genoa, West Virginia, a person was showing his gun to a high school student when it unintentionally fired, fatally striking the teen in the stomach. A third person was also in the car during the incident. Schools in the county were on spring break, but through a …

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021

Two young children were killed in preventable accidental shootings, one in Philadelphia, the other in Detroit. The incidents are strikingly similar.

In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, balloons were released at a vigil for nine-year old gun accident victim Nyssa Davis. Davis was shot and killed by a 5-year old relative in her home. The boy had found her father’s unlocked and loaded gun.

The children were home and under the supervision of a 12-year old who called 911 when the accident happened. The girl’s father, 39-year-old Blake Davis, is now charged with involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a child, and illegal firearms violations.

“I offer my deepest condolences to the Davis family for the terrible loss of a beloved child. This tragedy was 100% preventable. Kids should not be allowed unsupervised access to firearms, period. We can hold both that a father has suffered a horrific tragedy, and that he is also criminally responsible for this loss,” the District Attorney said. “As a community, we must also come together to ensure that the two other children found in this residence are able to heal and grow beyond the trauma inflicted on them.”

In Detroit, Michigan, an 18-month old pulled the trigger on a Glock pistol and killed his five-year old cousin. They were playing with a gun that they had found in the home. Police arrested the 5-year-old's father, who is also the uncle of the 18-month-old, in connection with the incident, according to a police officer.

"I'm not sure the 18-month-old is … even aware of what occurred," the officer added. "This is why we emphasize gun safety with gun locks and gun boxes so we don't have circumstances like this. [There have] been far too many of these kinds of circumstances in the City of Detroit."

Sources:

“Blake Davis Charged After 9-Year-Old Daughter Shot In Head, Killed By 5-Year-Old In North Philly,” 3 CBS Philly (January 22, 2021).

Jan Carabeo, “Community Holds Vigil, Balloon Release For 9-Year-Old Nyssa Davis Who Was Shot In Head, Killed By 5-Year-Old In North Philly” 3 CBS Philly (January 22, 2021).

Oralandar Brand-Williams, “Toddler in Detroit Home Shoots and Kills 5-year-old,” Detroit News, (January 20, 2021).

Shattered – The Gun Accident Journal

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THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2025