6 month old Florida infant shot and killed by his mother

Jonah Mendoza, age 6 months

This awful story from Florida should make us all take pause. A Florida woman shot and killed her infant son and then shot and injured herself. From an article:

A 20-year-old Florida woman was in critical condition Friday after she shot and killed her 6-month-old son and then turned the gun on herself, police said.

Authorities found Melanie Reyes and her baby after performing a welfare check at the request of Reyes' family, who called 911 to report a statement on her Facebook page in which she "indicated she was going to shoot her child and herself," according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office.

Both were transported to a hospital, where the infant was pronounced dead.

Police recovered the handgun believed used in the shootings from the home.

The incident comes roughly two weeks after Reyes was arrested for aggravated domestic battery after her boyfriend said she struck him with a baseball bat, according to a police report. Her next court date had been scheduled for January 22.

This one is too hard to imagine.

UPDATE (1/5/13): According to another article, the son's name is Jonah Mendoza, Reyes had been recently unemployed, had been fighting with the son's father over visitation rights, and had been accused of domestic violence against a more recent partner.

8-year old South Carolina boy unintentionally shot and killed by father cleaning rifle

Easton Brueger, age 8

An 8-year old boy, Easton Brueger, was at home in Bennettsville, South Carolina, while his father was cleaning his rifle.  The father, Justin Brueger, had the rifle pointed at the son and unintentionally discharged it, hitting his son in the stomach.  The boy later died from his wound.

The father is now being charged.

From an article:

The State Law Enforcement Division has charged 30-year-old Justin Brueger of Bennettsville with unlawful conduct toward a child for the December 30 shooting death of 8-year-old Easton Brueger. Police claim Justin was cleaning his rifle when it accidentally discharged, hitting Easton in the stomach. The boy later died of his injuries at a local hospital.

According to the State Police warrant, Justin placed his son at "unreasonable risk of harm" by pointing the weapon in the boy's direction while cleaning it.

"I want to say I'm very sorry to my son," a distraught Brueger told the court at his arraignment on Wednesday.

Judge Robert Stanton placed Brueger on a $10,000 personal recognizance bond and ordered all guns removed from his Fayetteville Avenue home. He was also ordered to stay away from Easton's mother and her family.

Easton was a third grader at Marlboro Academy and attended Trinity United Methodist Church in Clio. He liked playing with his cousins, riding four-wheelers, fishing, being outside, playing video games and playing with Legos and Nerf guns. He loved his pet dog Buddy, who he personally rescued.

Easton is at least the third child to be killed by accidental gunfire in recent weeks. On Christmas Day, 2-year-old Sincere Tymere Smith, also of South Carolina, shot himself dead with his father's gun in the family's Conway home. On December 18, South Dakota teen Dalton Williams was shot dead by friend Braiden McCahren during horseplay. And on December 15, 3-year-old Ryder Rozier shot and killed himself with a gun he found in the home of his uncle, an Oklahoma state policeman.

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8-year old Florida boy wounded by celebratory gunfire

An 8-year old boy was watching fireworks with his father in Jacksonville, Florida, when a bullet hit him in the foot.

From an article:

What police are calling likely celebratory gunfire struck the boy in the foot as he waited with his family to see the fireworks display in downtown Jacksonville. 

About 11:55 p.m. the boy and his family were on the Southbank just east of the Main Street bridge when he told his dad something hurt his foot, Lt. Jimmy Judge said. 

“His daddy investigates, digs around in his shoe with his finger and pulls out a bullet,” Judge said. 

The father carried the boy to a nearby officer and he was transported to Shands Jacksonville with non-life-threatening injuries. 

In regards to the gunfire, Judge acknowledged the boy was fortunate. 

“We’ve seen this time and time again,” he said. “Just thank God it didn’t hit the boy in the head.”

Bullets don't know when to stop.

10-year old girl killed by celebratory gunfire in Maryland

Aaliyah Boyer, age 10

A 10-year old girl, Aaliyah Boyer, was setting off fireworks for New Year's in Elkton, Maryland, when she was shot through the top of her head by a bullet from celebratory gunfire.

She eventually died from her wound.

From an article:

The girl, identified by police as Aaliyah Boyer, had been in critical condition on life support at A.I. DuPont Children's Hospital in Wilmington. 

Cecil County Sheriff's Office Lt. Michael Holmes said the girl, a resident of Manheim, Pa., was standing in the yard of a relative's home in the unit block of AJS Court in Elkton, watching neighbors set off fireworks, when she suddenly collapsed. A bullet of unknown caliber had struck her on the top of her head, Holmes said. 

Investigators do not know where the bullet came from and have no suspects. Neighbors have told authorities they heard a lot of fireworks and gunshots at about midnight, about the time the girl was struck. 

"It's our belief that celebratory gunfire caused a wound to the head," Holmes said.
Detectives continue to look for leads for a suspect. 

"It's being treated as a homicide investigation now," Holmes said.

Bullets don't know when to stop.

8 year old South Carolina boy shot by family member

It was not a good New Year's Eve for this family. An 8 year old South Carolina boy was shot and killed accidentally by a family member. From an article:

Bennettsville Police were called to a home on Fayetteville Avenue, December 30, for an eight year boy who was shot.

LT. Larry Turner said the child was accidentally by a family member.  The child was taken by ambulance to Marlboro Park Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Marlboro County Coroner Tim Brown, identified the child as Easton Brudger, from Clio.  He said Brudger was visiting his father in Bennettsville.  He died from a single gunshot wound to the abdomen.

No charges have been filed yet by the Bennettsville Police Department and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. The investigation continues.

18-month old North Carolina boy unintentionally shot in the arm

An 18-year old boy was unintentionally shot in the arm, in Bessemer City, North Carolina.

From an article:

A toddler from Bessemer City has been hospitalized after he was shot in the arm. 

Gaston County EMS officials were called to a home just after 8 p.m. Friday after getting a call that a child had been shot in the left arm. The 18-month-old boy was taken to a hospital, and there was no update on his condition. 

Investigators say they think the shooting was an accident. Police say the boy was home with his father and a sibling when the shooting happened. 

Authorities have not said who owned the gun that was used.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

17-year old Georgia boy shot while walking home from school

17-year old Zachius Shropshire was walking home from school in Stone Mountain, Georgia, with friends, when a vehicle drove up and shot at them.  Zachius was hit in the back and chest.  The suspects fled.

Zachius is recovering in the hospital.

From an article:

Police said Zachius Shropshire, 17, was shot in the chest and back as he walked home from Redan High School on North Redan Circle in Stone Mountain. Witnesses told police a black car, possibly a Honda, sped toward Shropshire and friends when someone rolled down a window and fired two to three shots. 

The teens ran off before Shropshire stopped and lay down in neighbor Artis Collins' yard. .... 

"He’s a good kid. He’s never been in any trouble and I was shocked when my husband told me. I was shocked,” neighbor Angela Morris said. 

Awadjie [a friend of Zachius], 14, said her parents now pick her up from school because they're concerned for her safety. 

"Kids are brave you know," said her father, Jonathan Clark. "But we as parents we know better. The bullet doesn’t have a name. It could've been anybody." 

Police are investigating the motive for the shooting.

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