4-Year-Old Fatally Shot By Woman Claiming To Teach 'Firearm Safety,' Authorities Say
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Breanna Gayle Devall Runions, 25, was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse in the death of Evangaline Gunter in Tennessee.

Warning: Article has detailed accounts of the shooting

Breanna Gayle Devall Runions, 25, was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse in the death of Evangaline Gunter.

The child’s parents, Adam and Josie Gunter, told ABC affiliate WATE that Evangaline had been in temporary custody at a home in Rockwood, which Runions shared with girlfriend Christina Daniels and another child, a 7-year-old girl.

Before the shooting, Evangaline and the older girl were being punished that morning by Runions for not waking up the women and for eating Daniels’ food without permission, according to the warrant and a statement from Russell Johnson, district attorney general for Tennessee’s 9th Judicial District. Runions struck both girls with a sandal before forcing them to stand in different corners of the women’s bedroom, authorities said the older girl told them.

After the shooting, the women drove Evangaline to a nearby Walmart location to meet an ambulance, Roane County Medical Examiner Dr. Thomas Boduch told the Roane County News, and the vehicle transported the girl to a hospital where she was pronounced dead. Boduch could not immediately be reached by HuffPost.

  • cristo@lemmy.worldEsperanto
    4·
    9 months ago

    I learned gun safety at 6, on a bb gun, killed my first deer at 10. Trying to teach a 4 year old who probably isnt even sentient at this point on a real loaded firearm is the stupidest thing you can do. Firearms safety isnt a hard thing to teach, it should be taught in schools along with the home imo. Shooting sports used to be a big part of the american school system.

    • Meissnerscorpsucle@lemmy.world
      3·
      9 months ago

      for my kids @ 4 I taught them if you see a gun, don’t touch it…go get an adult. @ 7 started BB gun and had to show muzzle / Triger discipline and recite the rules of firearm safety EVERY time we went out to shoot it.