A troubling incident in Florida has resulted in the arrest of a father after his 9-year-old son accidentally shot a 5-year-old cousin. Authorities allege that the firearm involved was not stored securely, leading to the unfortunate event.
Robert R. Giles faces charges of culpable negligence, as outlined under Florida Statute 784.05-3. Court documents reveal that Giles has entered a plea of not guilty to these charges.
The incident occurred on March 25, when deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office responded to an emergency call at a residence in Palmetto. The young child had been shot in the chest, an alarming detail confirmed through an electronic arrest warrant obtained by Oxygen.
A spokesperson from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, speaking to Oxygen, clarified that the victim is the cousin of the 9-year-old boy involved. The investigation revealed that the firearm, located in the primary bedroom, was unintentionally discharged when the boy found it.
This case underscores the critical importance of responsible gun storage, especially in homes where children are present. As legal proceedings continue, the community is left grappling with the consequences of this tragic accident.
Giles’ son allegedly told investigators that he entered his father’s bedroom in search of Pokémon pens and instead found a gun on the floor under the bed, according to the warrant.
The boy allegedly said he intended to put the gun away, but it unintentionally fired, per the warrant. The bullet struck the 5-year-old boy’s clavicle and pierced his lung before exiting his body.
The younger child was rushed to the hospital where he was intubated for five days, per the warrant. He is currently recovering, the sheriff’s spokesperson told Oxygen.
Giles, however, told responding officers in the warrant that the Canik 9mm handgun—with a round in the chamber but without a magazine—had been stored in his nightstand next to his bed.
He was in the kitchen when he heard a loud “pop,” Giles allegedly recalled, per the warrant, then discovered the 5-year-old boy shot. Then, Giles allegedly locked the gun in a bedroom safe.
Giles provided investigators the access code to the safe where they found the weapon, along with multiple other firearms, according to the warrant.
Prior to the shooting, “The firearm was not secured in a manner that would prevent access by a minor,” investigators wrote in the warrant.
Additionally, they wrote, the 9-year-old boy “described in his interview to have located the firearm under the bed and mentioned nothing about removing it from [the] holster or any other secured location.”
Giles was booked into the Manatee County Jail on April 2, according to jail records and he was released one day later after posting a $2,500 bond.
Under the conditions of release, Giles is not allowed contact with the victim or to possess any firearms or ammunition.
An attorney for Giles did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Oxygen.