An 11-year-old boy was accidentally shot and killed while waiting with two other boys in a car in a Walmart parking lot on Sunday, according to police in Dallas.
Officers say the boys found a gun in the car and the youngest, 9, accidentally shot the victim, who was not related to him. The car’s owner, a 32-year-old woman, was not in the car at the time.
The boy was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
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His mother, Keyamber Matlock, identified him as Dazmon Ray Brown Jr. on Monday.
Matlock told Fox 4 News that her son was visiting his friends at the time, and that all three boys were in the care of the friends’ mother. She says the mother was shopping when the boys found the gun.
“The youngest brother I guess ended up getting it off the safety and shot my child in the head,” she told the broadcaster.
The mother and the two boys have not been publicly identified. Police have not announced any charges or arrests to date.
Dallas police did not answer any questions about the investigation, Fox 4 News reports.
It’s unclear whether the mother was aware that the gun was in the car.
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The boy’s aunt, Theresa Edwards, told Fox 4 News that she’s devastated.
“We’re going to miss him dearly,” she said. “Only thing we can do right now is give it to God and let God handle it.”
Edwards and Matlock both offered sympathy to the other family, and urged people to pray for them as well.
“I know they feel like everybody hates them,” Matlock said, adding that she does not.
“There’s also a child that’s hurting, too,” Edwards said.
