On New Year’s Eve in Northeast Memphis, Tennessee, celebratory gunfire tragically resulted in the death of a three-year-old boy.
Brayden Smith was inside his grandmother’s apartment when a stray bullet fired from another part of the complex shattered a window and struck him around 6 p.m. Sunday, December 31, 2023.
Despite immediate medical attention, the young boy was rushed to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital but died from his injuries. The Memphis Police Department, led by Assistant Police Chief Don Crowe, is investigating the incident.
The incident highlights the issue of gun violence in Memphis, which recorded 398 homicides in 2023.
In the aftermath, the community has rallied to support the Smith family. A GoFundMe page was established to assist with funeral costs, and the Memphis ministry, Touched by an Angel Foundation, donated significantly to Brayden’s memory.
This type of shooting is not isolated. Other children were also victims of stray bullets during New Year’s Eve celebrations across the country.
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, an 11-year-old girl was hit in the face by a bullet that entered her bedroom, and a 10-year-old boy in St. Paul, Minnesota, survived a gunshot to the stomach.
The Memphis Police Department reported over 327 gunshots detected by their gunfire detection software between New Year’s Eve and early New Year’s Day, with 195 calls related to shots fired.
Community members, led by figures like Larry Hunter of Touched by an Angel, are calling for unity and action against such senseless violence.
The Memphis Police Department continues its efforts to apprehend the person responsible for the incident.