Father of Detroit child shot by sibling charged
Police responded around 2:15 p.m. Oct. 7 to a home in the 8000 block of Artesian Street for a reported shooting. (FOX 2)
DETROIT (FOX 2) - A 38-year-old Detroit father has been charged after one of his children shot a sibling with an unsecured handgun at a home on Detroit's west side, prosecutors said.
Muammar Wallace was charged with one count of safe storage violations involving a minor who was present and suffered serious impairment of a bodily function, as well as one count of felony firearm. He was arraigned Saturday in the 36th District Court.
The backstory:
Police responded around 2:15 p.m. Oct. 7 to a home in the 8000 block of Artesian Street for a reported shooting.
Upon arrival, officers found an 11-year-old child lying on the living room floor with a gunshot wound to the face. Prosecutors said the child's 8-year-old sibling found an unsecured handgun and fired it.
The 11-year-old victim remains in critical condition after being taken to the hospital.
Detroit dad in custody after child shoots sibling; 11-year-old remains in critical condition
Detroit police say a father is in custody after one of his kids shot their sibling after finding a weapon in a west side home on Wednesday.
Dig deeper:
Wallace allegedly left his three children, ages 4 to 11, unattended in the home at the time of the shooting, according to prosecutors.
Muammar Wallace (Detroit Police Department)
What they're saying:
"We at the Wayne County Prosecutors Office have been beating this drum for well over ten years. We have an educational campaign, we helped to change legislation, and we talk about it all the time. Please, please, please safely store your weapons at all times. No exceptions!" Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a release. "Our children deserve our constant, unshakable, and total commitment here. Every day, 24/7 without fail."
What's next:
Wallace is scheduled to appear for a probable cause hearing on Oct. 26.
Detroit police on 11-year-old shot by sibling: Full press conference
Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison spoke Wednesday afternoon after an 11-year-old boy was shot in the face by a sibling while they were home alone. The child is in critical condition.
Safe storage in Michigan
What you can do:
It is illegal for an adult to possess a firearm in a home and not have it secured when young people are also at home.
The law was enacted following a 2022 ballot measure aiming at safe storage and other gun safety measures.
Police have also continued to emphasize the importance and ease of locking up a firearm.
Neil Emanuel of Action Impact walked FOX 2 through how to secure a firearm.
Action Impact walks through process of securing firearm
It is illegal for an adult to possess a firearm in a home and not have it secured when young people are also at home. Officials are emphasizing the need to safely lock up weapons after an 11-year-old was shot by their sibling.
The Source: FOX 2 used previous original reporting and information from the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office for this story.