A child was injured and two adults are facing charges, according to the Covington Police Department. On July 25, authorities responded to a report from Methodist North Hospital about a child with a gunshot wound to the leg. The investigation revealed that the shooting occurred when children were playing with a firearm at a home on the 100 block of Shelton Street, as reported by WREG.
Danielle Mason and Xavier Martin have been identified as the responsible adults who, despite knowledge of the minors engaging with the gun, failed to secure it because it was not their own property. Mason and Martin are now facing serious charges, with Mason's bond set at $25,000 and Martin's, who reportedly provided detectives with false statements, set much higher at $100,000 as per Local Memphis. A juvenile has also been charged with aggravated assault in relation to the incident.
The urgency of gun safety was emphasized by the Covington Police Chief Donna Turner, who said, "The situation had the potential to be much more tragic." Chief Turner offered a reminder that the Covington Driver Service Center provides free cable gun locks to Tennesseans, as stated by WREG.
The fallout from this case is expected to be fully addressed in court, with the accused set to appear on September 3. In the meantime, the Covington Police Department continues to appeal to the public to aid their investigations and ensure such incidents do not recur. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the child affected by this incident, and we wish a swift and full recovery," said Chief Turner in a statement obtained by FOX13 Memphis.
