Father of boy, 9, who fatally shot himself, arrested

DETROIT (WJBK) - UPDATE: Police have arrested the 9-year-old boy's father on an unrelated felony warrant. 

The father was arrested later this afternoon after the child had died from a suspected self-inflicted gunshot. It is not clear what the man's warrant was for. 

Detroit Police say a 9-year-old boy has died from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Detroit's west side Monday.

Police said the shooting happened near Barton and Livernois around 1:00 p.m.

We're told the boy was home with his father at the time. Some other kids were in the home, too. It is unknown at this time why the kids were at home and not in school.

A Detroit police source tells FOX 2 the boy was found by the father in an upstairs bedroom. The father was downstairs when he heard the noise, and went upstairs and found the boy near the shotgun, the source said. The shotgun was normally kept in a closet.

"It's just messed up, just a tragedy," said Reginald Head, the victim's uncle

His uncle says the boy's name is Daylan Head, nicknamed "Dae Dae."

Police were called to the 6600 block of Barton around 12:30 pm Monday to investigate the shooting.

"We believe, and it's still early in the investigation, that the young man was at his father's house," Detroit Police Chief James Craig said. "We believe it was the father's gun but again, we're not certain."

Police say several people were home at the time of the shooting including the boy's father.

"Certainly the victim and a sibling or two and the dad," Craig said.

Investigators say it's unclear if anyone will be charged.

But Detroit Police Chief James Craig making a plea to gun owners to make sure their guns stay out of the reach of children

"This is the second such incident where a child has gotten a hold of a firearm," Craig said. "About a week ago, a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Fortunate that young man survived the injury.

"We are asking people in the community to be mindful of young people in the house and that firearms are properly secured and young people can't get ahold of them."

The family wants their loved one to be remembered with happy thoughts.

"He was very outgoing loved sports," Head said. "Good in school, good, typical kid. Always smiling. No matter what, kept a smile on his face."

Editor's Note: Police initially said the boy was 6 years old.