PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – Portsmouth Police say the fatal shooting of a 3-year-old boy appears to be an accidental discharge.
Police said they received the call Monday at 4:33 p.m. near the 2500 block of Ash Street.
Portsmouth police confirmed with 10 On Your Side Tuesday morning that the 3-year-old died due to a gunshot wound. Police say the boy was transported to a local hospital where he later died from his injury.
In an update from Thursday, police say the shooting appears to be an accidental discharge and that they have arrested 20-year-old Jaquan Askew in connection to the handling of the gun.
Askew is charged with allowing access to firearm by children.
Court records show that the toddlers father told the police that he was home with the child and two other people when the shooting occurred. One of the people, who court documents say was a man, also lived in the home.
The father told police that he was in the bathroom when he heard the gunshot. He then found his son inside the bedroom of the other man who lived in the house, who he said was no longer in the house.
Detectives say that they contacted the man who’s room the boy was found in and he said that he was not in the house before the shooting and that he was at work
A neighbor says she heard the sound of gunshots.
“We heard the pop sound of the gunshot,” Tomeka Lathan said.
Lathan said she heard someone yelling for help.
“My daughter [was] instantly like ‘You need help? Do you need help?’ You know, so whoever someone was saying yes, yes please or whatever,” she said.
Lathan later heard a 3-year-old boy was shot.
“It’s a child. What’s going on? These guns are just doing too much. I don’t know. There is just too much going on,” she said.
Portsmouth Police Department is having a R.E.S.E.T. Walk on April 6, at 3:30 p.m. on the 2500 block of Ash Street in response to this shooting.
Check with WAVY.com for updates.