NEW ORLEANS — A single gunshot inside a house in the Hollygrove neighborhood of New Orleans, took the life of a 2-year-old.
The shooting happened around 6:15 p.m., Wednesday.
Genaro Burbank identified the child as his nephew, Michael Jean Brown, III.
He says “Little Jean” was more like a little man than a toddler.
“Little man had his own way of thinking, own way of doing everything. Two years old," Burbank said.
New Orleans Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson said the boy may have died from self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“Homicide is currently investigating this incident and it remains an active investigation, more specifically with regards to who is responsible for that weapon,” Ferguson said.
Police detained and questioned the child’s parents.
They have not been charged with a crime.
Monique Moss lives around the corner. She says a death like this is quite personal, when it hits this close to home.
“To say that I’m sitting on my porch, and I can actually see the location where it happened is heart wrenching,” Moss said.
Chief Ferguson said the little boy’s death may be the latest in what has become a dangerous trend in the city, irresponsible gun ownership and children with easy access to unsecured weapons.
“It is always the responsibility of an adult to prevent unauthorized access to a weapon,” Ferguson said. “You cannot rely on a curious child to avoid handling an improperly secured weapon.”
The chief also referenced the April death of a 3-year-old in the French Quarter. The NOPD said she died after finding her brother’s gun.
Back in Hollygrove, Burbank said he’s not sure who owned the gun that killed his nephew.
“It’s just that everybody was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and they had the wrong (sic) going on,” Burbank said. “Everybody’s mind was in the wrong place.”
Chief Ferguson said the person who brought the gun into the house could face a negligent homicide charge.
Ferguson encouraged parents to talk to their children about guns.
He said tell them if they see a gun, don’t touch it, tell an adult right away.
Also, assure children they will not get in trouble if they tell an adult that they see a weapon.
Advise teens to immediately leave a situation where there’s an unsecured gun in their presence.
And always assume a weapon is loaded.
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