A tragic incident has claimed the life of a 2-year-old child in Florida, who was fatally shot in the head last week, according to the Port St. Lucie Police Department (PSLPD).
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Police reported that around 7 p.m. on February 18th, a two-year-old boy accidentally shot himself in the head after accessing a firearm. According to PSLPD, per local outlet CBS 12, the child was in the bedroom with his mother when the tragic incident occurred.
According to police, the gun belonged to the mother’s fiancé. At the time of the shooting, the 2-year-old boy was not the only child present in the home. An infant was also inside, authorities confirmed.
Police Chief Weighs in on Tragic Accidental Shooting Involving 2-Year-Old
Chief Leo Niemczyk of the Port St. Lucie Police Department shared his perspective on the tragedy.
“It’s the hardest way to learn this lesson,” Chief Niemczyk told CBS 12. “Gun safety, gun safety, gun safety. If you’re going to have children In the house, the gun has to be secured. Don’t ever assume that the child is too young to be able to get ahold of that gun and pull that trigger,” he added.
Police Arrest the Mother and Her Fiancé Following Fatal Accidental Shooting of 2-Year-Old
After an investigation, police arrested the child’s mother and her fiancé on February 21st, per ABC affiliate WPBF 25.
Authorities revealed that the fiancé, Quintenn Wesley, had left two handguns unsecured in the master bedroom. One of the firearms was involved in the shooting. Additionally, police discovered that the child’s mother, Natalie Cruz, was a convicted felon and legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
Cruz, 24, was charged with firearm possession by a convicted felon, a second-degree felony, and culpable negligence for allowing a minor to access a firearm, causing injury or death, a third-degree felony. Wesley, 25, was also charged with culpable negligence for allowing a minor to access a firearm.
Cruz and Wesley were both taken to the St. Lucie County Jail. Cruz’s bond was set at $55,000, while Wesley’s bond was established at $15,000.
2023 Was the Worst Year on Record for Children Involved in Accidental Shootings
Each year in the U.S., hundreds of children unintentionally discharge firearms, injuring or killing themselves or others, as reported by Everytown for Gun Safety.
In 2023, children were involved in at least 411 unintentional shootings, making it the worst year on record since Everytown began tracking such incidents in 2015. By comparison, 2022 saw at least 360 unintentional shootings by children, resulting in 136 tragic fatalities, according to Everytown’s data.
Everytown reports that at least 21 unintentional shootings have occurred this year, claiming 11 lives.
Everytown states that secure gun storage is key to preventing shootings. Firearms should be unloaded, locked, and stored separately from ammunition, whether at home, in vehicles, or elsewhere.