Children Shot By Stray Bullets

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When gunfights break out, innocent bystanders are as likely to be killed as those being shot at. Learn some of the stories of children shot by stray bulle

People with a gun are notoriously bad at hitting their target, especially in the heat of the moment. Even trained police only hit what they’re aiming at around 5% of the time. When these bullets don’t land in their intended target, they fly right on by and land somewhere else: sometimes hitting innocent bystanders, often children. Here is just a sampling of some of the stories of children hit by stray bullets.

Hunters Stray Bullets

Preschoolers Shot While walking With Family
In Logansport, Louisiana, a four year old boy was shot in the face by a stray buckshot pellet while visiting family.  Tanner Myers was walking a rural path in North Desoto Parish when two nearby hunters fired several shots at a deer.  He was expected to survive.  (12-28-2009 p. 9A)

Stray Bullet Kills Toddler
In Swan Lake, New York, a sixteen month old girl was fatally shot inside her rural mobile home, apparently by a stray bullet discharged from a hunting rifle.  Lt. Demming Lindsley of the department of environmental conservation was working alongside state troopers to investigate the scene, and had charged a hunter with the death. (USA Today 11-18-08, p. 3A)

Shot While Horseback Riding
In Jackson, Mississippi, a 41-year-old woman and a 13- year-old girl were hospitalized after being hit by stray shot gun pellets while horseback riding on public land.  It was the 2nd accidental shooting in just two days into the deer season.  In another incident, a man was killed. (USA Today 11-24-2009 p. 9A)

Stray Bullet Strikes Kids At Daycare
In another incident a hunter who was aiming at a deep missed. His bullet grazed two young boys at a nearby day care center. (ABC New, Phoenix, 11-21-2008) We’re just thankful the trajectory of this bullet narrowly avoided a major tragedy.

Other Stray Bullet Tragedies

Killed during a dance routine
It was a day before father’s day, and 13-year-old Amaria Jones was showing her mom a dance routine, when bullets suddenly flew through the room from a nearby shooting. When Amaria’s mother returned, she found her daughter on the floor holding her neck and trying to call out, “Mom!” The girl was pronounced dead at a hospital. (Saulter & Lauer, 2021)

Shot while watching TV
A ten-year-old girl in San Antonio, Texas, was shot dead while she sat watching TV in her bed. Police suspect the bullet came from a gang-related shooting nearby. (USA Today, 11-28-2017, p. 6B)

When gunfire breaks out
Four-year-old Brandon Thompson was shot in the head as he ran to his mother to try and avoid a nearby gunfight that had broken out. The boy was killed by his uncle, caught in the crossfire as his uncle fired at another shooter. (USA Today, 8-6-2008, p. 7A; 8-12-2008, p. 5A)

Killed while trick-or-treating
Two young boys wound up on the wrong side of a gun fight while trick or treating on Halloween night. Twelve-year-old T.J. Darrisaw was killed, and his 9-year-old brother, Ahmadre Darrisaw, was injured, when they were struck by stray bullets from a nearby gun fight. (USA Today, 11-4-2008. p. 3A)

Children killed in their sleep by stray bullets

  • Four year-old LeGend Taliferro was killed while sleeping on the floor of an apartment, after a man got into a dispute with his father and opened fire. (Saulter & Lauer, 2021)

  • Six-year-old Kamya Weathersby was sleeping in her bed when she was hit by seven rounds from more than 100 shots that were fired outside her home. Nobody else was injured by the gunfire. Police arrested 3 brothers in the killing. (USA Today, 9-15-2008, p. 13A)

Bullets Dropping From The Sky
In Memphis, Tennessee, a 9-year-old child was hit in the head with a bullet during  a 4th-of-July party at Tom Lee Park.  Police said a bullet from a high powered rifle hit the child’s head, and then struck a 33 year-old woman before landing on the blanket.  The round did not pierce the skin of either, likely because it had lost its velocity and was free-falling from the sky – but I’m sure it hurt non the less. (USA Today  7-7-2008, p. 8A)

Girl Shot in Car
In Washington, DC, a 10 year old girl was recovering after being shot in the leg while sitting in the car on New York Avenue & Fenwick Street about 3:30 in the morning.  Police believe it was a stray bullet.  (USA Today 5-9-2012, p. 7A)

References & bibliography

Saulter, J, Lauer, C. (2021, Oct. 12) “Gun violence is killing more kids in America,’ The Arizona Republic, p. 6A

See also…

Additional resources on Gun Safety:


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