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A Durham mother is facing multiple charges after police said her 4-year-old son
accidentally shot himself with an unsecured gun.
Durham police arrested 44-year-old Assante Allah Moore on Monday following the early morning shooting at a home on Greenbriar Road. The boy was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. WRAL is working to learn his condition on Tuesday morning.
Investigators remained at the home until about 5 p.m.
Moore is charged with felony negligent child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury and misdemeanor permit children use of a firearm. According to the arrest warrant, Moore is accused of leaving a 10mm pistol in a manner that could be discharged and able to accessed by a minor.
She is out on bond and is expected in court on Tuesday morning.
The investigation is still ongoing. Police ask anyone with information about Monday’s shooting to call Investigator D. Bussell at (919)
560-4582 x29254 or CrimeStoppers at (919) 683-1200.
CrimeStoppers offers up to $2,000 cash rewards for any information that
leads to an arrest in felony cases. Callers never have to identify themselves.
Neighbor Neguel Pena said he is hoping for the best following the incident.
“I just cry and pray for this family,” Pena said. “They’re a very nice family.”
This shooting comes just two weeks after another 4-year-old boy in Durham accidentally shot himself at a home on Linwood Avenue. The gun owner in that case, Patrick Daye, was charged.
Officials with NC SAFE said gun owners have a responsibility to keep their
weapons secure, and suggest using gun safes, lock boxes, gun cases, cable locks
or trigger locks to prevent weapons from being stolen or fired
unintentionally.
“If you must use a gun, please use the proper precautions,” said Patrick
Hatch, who said he has lived in Durham his entire life and said he believes
situations like this could be preventable. “Store and protect your weapon. Lock
them up and secure them.”
Now people living in this quiet neighborhood say they’ll be rallying around
the family and praying that the young boy survives.
Gun violence kills more young people in the U.S. than any other cause. WRAL News has extinsively covered keeping North Carolina children safe from gun violence.
WRAL’s documentary UnSafe: North Carolina kids dying from gun violence uncovers why North Carolina children are 51% more likely to die from gun violence.
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