Crime

4-year-old boy dies after accidentally shooting himself Friday night in Macon

A 4-year-old boy fatally shot himself by accident Friday night while holding a gun in an apartment a housing project in south Macon, Bibb County sheriff’s officials said.

The child, Kameron Ross, of Warner Robins, was mortally wounded at about 8:30 p.m. at Pendleton Homes on Houston Avenue while visiting his grandmother in Building K at the sprawling apartment complex there, coroner’s officials said.

According to a sheriff’s statement, the boy “found a firearm inside (an) apartment and accidentally shot himself.” The type of gun was not noted.

He was taken to a county hospital where he was pronounced dead. His death was believed to be Macon’s first violent death by a firearm in more than a month, the last coming in a shooting episode at Macon Mall on Aug. 1.

Sheriff’s officials said the gun that the child was shot with had been “brought into the apartment by two male juveniles,” a 14-year-old and a 16-year-old, who live there.

The sheriff’s statement added: “Investigators interviewed all witnesses and the two juveniles were released into the custody of family. The grandmother of Ross, 50-year-old Kawana Liggins, was arrested and charged with tampering with evidence.

Additional charges were said to be pending.

Joe Kovac Jr.
The Telegraph
Joe Kovac Jr. writes about local news and features for The Telegraph, with an eye for human-interest stories. Joe is a Warner Robins native and graduate of Warner Robins High. He joined the Telegraph in 1991 after graduating from the University of Georgia. As a Pulliam Fellowship recipient in 1991, Joe worked for the Indianapolis News. His stories have appeared in the Washington Post, the Seattle Times and Atlanta Magazine. He has been a Livingston Award finalist and won numerous Georgia Press Association and Georgia Associated Press awards.
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