A Tennessee Woman Claims She Was Teaching Gun Safety. Then, Cops Say, She Shot a 4-Year-Old Girl in the Chest.
A Tennessee woman was taken into custody after she claims she fatally shot a 4-year-old girl while teaching how to safely handle a gun, authorities said.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said police in Rockwood arrested Breanna Gayle Runions, 25, on Aug. 27 and charged her with felony murder and aggravated child abuse in connection with the death of the child, Evangeline Gunter, WZTV reported.
According to the station, an arrest warrant shows Runions claimed she shot the young girl while “trying to demonstrate gun safety.”
The suspect’s girlfriend and another child were present in the room at the time of the shooting. In the warrant, police said the pair didn’t witness the deadly incident, but they alleged the children were being disciplined at the time because they failed to follow the rules.
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The warrant states Runions allegedly retrieved a gun and took out the magazine before shooting the victim in the chest.
The girl was pronounced dead at an area hospital.
The investigation is ongoing.
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