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Steve Johnson, a 30-year-old man, was taken into custody after a troubling incident where a toddler managed to grab an unsecured gun, resulting in the weapon firing and injuring the child.
TAMPA, Fla. — A young boy, just 3 years old, sustained an arm injury after coming into contact with a firearm that had been left unattended by his mother’s boyfriend, as reported by the Tampa police.
The incident unfolded shortly before 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday at a residence located on N 51st Street, near E 30th Avenue.
According to police investigations, the child was in bed with his mother and her boyfriend, Steve Johnson. When Johnson left the bed to use the bathroom, he inadvertently left the gun unsecured.
During this brief absence, the toddler accessed the firearm, which then discharged, resulting in the boy being shot in the arm.
The boy’s mother immediately rendered aid and called 911. He was transported to the hospital with stable, non-life-threatening injuries.
Responding deputies learned Johnson was a convicted felon possessing the firearm illegally. The gun was recovered as evidence.
“It is incredibly fortunate that this was not a fatal tragedy,” Chief Lee Bercaw said. “This incident highlights the double danger of a convicted felon unlawfully possessing a firearm and then failing to secure it. A gun should never be within reach of a child. There is no excuse for such negligence when the cost could easily have been a young life.”
Johnson was arrested and charged with felon in possession of a firearm, child neglect with great bodily harm, safe storage of firearms and possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis. He was transported to Orient Road Jail.
The investigation is ongoing.