The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting of a 2-year-old girl by a 3-year-old boy that occurred just before midnight on Friday night, May 21, 2021 in Lakeland.
The young victim was shot one-time in her upper left chest, and is currently in critical but stable condition at Lakeland Regional Health. She suffered severe injuries to her internal organs.
At about 12:15 AM on Saturday, Lakeland Police responded to a two-vehicle crash at Olive Street and Oregon Avenue in Lakeland. One of the vehicles involved was on the way to the hospital with the 2-year-old gunshot victim. A Good Samaritan in the area took the child and 24-year-old Chad Berrien to the hospital.
Two witnesses, 23-year-old Kevonte’ Wilson and 23-year-old Rodderick Haynes told detectives that they were watching a basketball game on TV when the 3-year-old child found a handgun and pointed it at the 2-year-old girl and shot her with it.
Wlson told investigators he tucked the gun between the sofa cushions to hide it from the children.
The little boy found the gun anyway. Judd said the men were watching the game just before midnight on Friday and heard a “pop,” then looked to see the girl shot on the sofa as the little boy ran away crying to another room. The three men jumped into a car with the girl and headed toward a hospital. En route to the hospital, another vehicle turned into their path, causing a crash. A good Samaritan stopped to assist after the crash and took the girl and Berrien, 24, to the hospital.
During the course of the investigation, it was determined that the handgun belonged to Wilson.
Chad Berrien was arrested on four outstanding warrants (Failure to Appear for Battery, Failure to Appear for Resisting w/o Violence, Failure to Appear for DWLSR, and Failure to Appear for Driving on Revoked/Suspended License).
Kevonte’ Wilson was also arrested for Carrying a Concealed Firearm (F3) and Failure to Safely Store a Firearm (M2). His prior criminal history includes charges of Grand Theft, Written Threats to Kill, Defrauding an Innkeeper, and Driving with No Valid License.
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