‘We thought it was fireworks’: 3-year-old dies after being struck by stray bullet on New Year’s Eve

Authorities in Memphis said a 3-year-old boy, who was struck by a stray bullet on New Year’s Eve, recently succumbed to his injuries after he was placed on life support. In an interview with WREG, the shooting occurred at the minor’s grandmother’s apartment in Northeast Memphis.

The deceased victim, identified as Brayden Smith, was initially placed on life support after he was struck by the stray bullet. In the wake of the incident, the minor’s grandmother, Taysha Davis, appealed to the shooter to surrender to authorities. 

Though the source of the gunfire has not been shared by investigators, they said they suspect the shootings erupted during New Year’s Eve celebrations.

“We thought it was fireworks, and we realized it was gunfire. We turned around and looked back, and Brayden was on the floor,” Davis said.

The bullet is said to have entered Davis’ home through her front window. She also said her other 6-year-old grandson was indoors with his deceased brother at the time. The bullet hit the deceased minor’s head.

And though Davis said she forgives the perpetrator, she said the suspect still needs to surrender to the police as that is the correct thing, WREG reported.

“Brayden was three. He’s a baby. I don’t have my grandson, my daughter doesn’t have her son. He’s on life support. Turn yourself in,” Davis said at the time.

Assistant Police Chief Don Crowe also warned locals to not “shoot guns for celebration.” “The bullets will come down somewhere, and if those bullets come down and hit a person, it will injure a person. It is a crime to shoot a gun in celebratory gunfire,” he added.