Michael Bragg: Florida father arrested after 4-year-old son accidentally shoots himself to death
KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA: A Florida father has reportedly been arrested after his 4-year-old son accidentally shot himself to death on Thursday, March 7. Michael Bragg Jr was found in an unconscious state with a gunshot wound between his eyes just before 10 am, according to a court document.
The little boy was immediately rushed to the local hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after. Police said the shooting happened in the child’s home at 2117 The Oaks Boulevard in Kissimmee, Florida. Michael, or 'Junior' to his friends and family, was in the house with his father, 32-year-old Michael Bragg, and an unidentified witness, according to Wesh. The witness told officers that they were asleep when they were woken up by a gunshot and found the four-year-old injured near a wheelchair.
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Why was Michael’s father arrested?
Michael’s heartbroken mother Ebony Davis said she had dropped her son off with her dad the day before and was expecting to pick him up the following day. She claimed that she was unaware there were firearms in the home. Meanwhile, her sister Cornecia Pinkins said Junior's dad was irresponsible. Police have arrested Michael Senior and charged him with the possession of a firearm by a convicted criminal, Opoyi reported.
Officers said the father was arrested after he changed his history several times. Michael senior initially claimed that there were no guns in the house but then changed his story to say his friend kept guns there before ultimately confessing to owning firearms. According to a police affidavit, two firearms were found in his home, with a 0.22 Glock and a 9 mm handgun recovered from a suitcase close to the front down. Officers said they also found a large amount of blood and an “intact, firearm round” in the living room.
Friends organize vigil for Junior
The family’s neighbors also expressed their shock after Michael’s death. “I was definitely in shock. This a neighborhood that we’ve been here for a year now and nothing has ever happened in this neighborhood,” Euyenia Santiago, a neighbor, said, adding, “All my kids are under the age of 7. I have a 4-year-old as well, so I can’t even imagine the thoughts that are probably going through the mother’s mind or even the father's."
Michael junior’s devastated friends and family organized a candlelight and balloon vigil to honor his life. The mother told local media that she was "used to waking up to him every morning him telling me ‘Mommy, I love you so much,'” as per Mirror. She added, "I would rather my son to bury me before I got to bury him. He’s only four years old. He didn’t even get to live his life." A GoFundMe page has also been set up for helping Davis raise money for Junior’s funeral. The fund's description says that Junior's "presence and his smile would light up the whole room." The campaign has so far raised $695 out of the $10,000 goal.