Who was Michele Cox? Arizona mom, 38, shot dead by 5-year-old son with handgun
PHOENIX, ARIZONA: A 38-year-old mother from Casa Grande in Phoenix, Arizona, was accidentally killed by her 5-year-old son with a handgun. Michele Cox was shot in the chest by the child who fired the unmonitored weapon at her. The incident took place on Friday, September 3, 2021, in the presence of Cox's other three children and her boyfriend.
Similar mishaps have occurred in the past as well due to unsupervised gun usage by children. A 3-year-old boy from Florida accidentally shot his sister, 2, in May this year with a loaded gun, which was hidden in the couch by a family friend. In December 2020, Leighton Owings, a 2-year-old boy from Indiana, accidentally shot himself dead with a handgun while his mother was feeding his sister in the next room. In 2019, another 10-year-old girl from Texas accidentally shot her two younger cousins with a handgun she found in the laundry basket at home.
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Who was Michele Cox?
Michele Cox was a 38-year-old Casa Grande resident who lived in an apartment with her four children, aged between 4 and 12 years, and her 40-year-old boyfriend. On September 2, one of her sons, 5, somehow came across the handgun and fired it at her. She was airlifted to the hospital soon afterward, as she was impacted by a bullet wound to her chest. Meanwhile, her boyfriend and other children were safe. Cox later succumbed to her injuries in the hospital.
According to a statement released by Casa Grande Police, the circumstances of the shooting appear to be accidental. "Although this is an ongoing investigation, detectives have determined the victim’s 5-year-old son was responsible for the shooting. Currently, detectives believe this was an accidental shooting," mentioned the police officials.
They released a brief of the incident on social media, which stated:
"Casa Grande, AZ – On September 3rd, 2021, at 6:20 a.m., the Casa Grande Police Department responded to a call for service regarding a shooting at The Colony Apartments, located at 351 North Peart Road in Casa Grande.
Upon their arrival, Officers discovered 38-year-old Casa Grande resident Michele Cox suffering from what appeared to be a single gunshot wound to the chest. Ms. Cox was flown to a Chandler area hospital with life-threatening injuries. Ms. Cox succumbed to her injuries at the hospital. Ms. Cox’s next of kin has been notified of her death. Also in the home during the incident were the victim’s four children with ages ranging from four to twelve and her 40-year-old boyfriend. None of them were injured during the incident."
"Although this is an ongoing investigation, Detectives have determined the victim’s five-year-old son was responsible for the shooting. Currently, Detectives believe this was an accidental shooting. A handgun was located on scene. As stated, this is an ongoing investigation and CGPD is working closely with the Pinal County Attorney’s Office to determine if any crime did occur. This is a stark reminder that owning and safeguarding a firearm is a serious responsibility and should be a priority in anyone’s home or business, especially if children are present."