Kabrel Patterson Obituary, Death;- A three-year-old accidentally shot and killed a 19-year-old at a residence near Atlanta, which officials are describing as a tragic yet preventable incident.
As reported by the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, the shooting occurred at approximately 7:30 a.m. on Monday. Deputies arrived at a residence located on Eagles Nest Drive in Hiram, Georgia, roughly 30 miles northwest of Atlanta.
Investigators indicated that on Sunday night, the 19-year-old victim visited family at the home and brought a firearm with him. Authorities believe he placed the gun down somewhere before going to sleep, and it was not securely stored.
On Monday morning, the toddler awoke while the other occupants of the house were still asleep. Officials stated that the child accessed the firearm and accidentally shot the 19-year-old while he was asleep.
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies attempted to save his life, but the man succumbed to his injuries at the scene. He was identified as Kabrel Patterson.
Investigators noted that the toddler and Patterson were not related, although there were approximately ten individuals present in the home at that time. Jordan Youdis, the chief communications officer for the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, referred to the incident as “unfortunate.”
“He [the toddler] has no memory of his actions or the life-altering consequences that resulted. It is one of the more unfortunate situations we encounter in our profession, dealing with accidents of this nature,” Youdis remarked. Officials emphasized that this tragedy serves as a stark reminder regarding the importance of gun safety and proper storage.
“Ensure that your firearm is stored in an appropriate location and secured with a lock. Additionally, it is imperative to keep firearms out of reach of children,” Youdis advised. “Even if you believe, ‘I have discussed the significance of gun safety with my child, and it is stored safely,’ such incidents continue to occur across the nation and are easily preventable.”
The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office stated that, at this moment, no criminal charges are being filed. The investigation remains ongoing.
