A 21-year-old man, Zyquay H. Fulford, was arrested after a 3-year-old in a Norfolk home reportedly found an unsecured gun and accidentally shot himself in the face on Jan. 7. The child was treated at a hospital for a non-life-threatening wound. Fulford was charged with child neglect and contributing and released on bond. Norfolk officials emphasized the legal and emotional consequences of careless firearm storage.
Man Arrested After 3-Year-Old Accidentally Shot in Face After Finding Unsecured Gun in Norfolk
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A 3-year-old boy in Norfolk, Virginia, was injured after he reportedly found an unsecured firearm inside a home and accidentally shot himself in the face on Jan. 7, according to the Norfolk Police Department.
Authorities identified 21-year-old Zyquay H. Fulford as the person charged in connection with the incident. Police say the shooting occurred at about 9:40 a.m. in the 7600 block of Sheryl Drive. The child was transported to a hospital and treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.
Preliminary Investigation
Norfolk police said a preliminary investigation found the toddler discovered an unsecured gun at the residence and accidentally fired it. Local broadcaster WAVY, citing a police scanner, reported the child had been "shot in the face," and that responding officers placed the child’s mother briefly in the back of a police vehicle at the scene.
Eyewitness Account
"She’s [doing] a lot of screaming," neighbor Keyshawn Clark told WAVY. "My fiancèe was talking to the mother to, like, 'Calm down, the help is on its way.' It was crazy because I didn’t even hear no gunshot... Blood was everywhere. So I’m praying for them."
Charges And Legal Remarks
Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi warned that parents and caregivers can face serious felony charges when children are harmed by firearms, including felony child neglect or involuntary manslaughter. "If a child hurts themselves with a gun, that may or may not be a crime, but there is nothing I can do or that the justice system is going to be able to do to a parent that is going to be worse than a parent holding their dead child because they were careless with their gun," Fatehi said.
Fulford was charged with child neglect and contributing, was booked at Norfolk City Jail, and later released on bond, the Norfolk Police Department said. Authorities did not release the child's name. The investigation remains active.
This incident highlights the dangers of unsecured firearms and the importance of safe storage to prevent tragic accidents involving children.
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