A 4-year-old boy fatally shot himself in a car outside a Georgia grocery store while his mother was shopping inside, cops and heartbroken kin said Monday.
Little Miyell Hernandez got hold of a gun left in his mom’s car and “accidentally shot himself” about 5 p.m. Sunday outside a Publix in DeKalb County, police said in a statement.
A 13-year-old relative and an infant were with Miyell in the vehicle at the time, authorities said.
The mortally wounded child was rushed to a hospital but later died from his wounds.
No charges had been filed as of Monday in the boy’s death.
“Our hearts and thoughts go out to the Hernandez family,” said DeKalb County Police Chief Mirtha Ramos. “We’re imploring gun owners to always keep their guns safe and secure.”
After the shooting, the teen who was in the car immediately ran into the grocery store for help, officials said. The kids had been left in the car while Miyell’s mom went shopping.
The gun was unsecured inside his mother’s car. It’s unclear whom the gun belonged to or if it was legally registered.
An online fundraiser set up to help offset Miyell’s funeral costs eclipsed $1,900 as of mid-day Monday.
“Keep us in your prayer,” the website reads. “We are asking for love and support to fund a tragic moment for our family … Thank you for your love and support.”
Miyell is the sixth child to die from gunfire in greater Atlanta this year, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Days earlier, 9-year-old Kemoni Mack died after being shot at an apartment complex in southeast Atlanta, where a 16-year-old suspect was charged, police said.
“It’s unclear whom the gun belonged to or if it was legally registered.”
Does Georgia have a firearms registration ordinance?
With whom would the gun be registered?
Why didn’t the teen in the car stop him?
several things here just don’t add up. did the “mom” know there was a gun in the car? did the “teen” shot the child? bottom line the mother is responsible for this death, as well as the “teen” what’s the teens age? with responsible parenting this would never have happened. AND the begging for $$$$$$$ to off-set the expenses makes this even worse then it already is.
That’s why we are lucky in Australia as we don’t have guns, it’s illegal to own one and therefore we don’t have this problem. We can’t understand the need for guns if no one else has one.