An accidental shooting in East Columbus has resulted in the tragic death of a 2-year-old girl, Va'Niyah Mason, just days before the holiday season. Reporting from the scene at around 8:45 p.m. Monday, the Columbus Division of Police was called to the 1500 block of East Long Street, according to 10TV. The child was swiftly transported to Nationwide Children's Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 9:13 p.m.
In a statement obtained by ABC 6, the victim's grandmother, Cristen Wilson, revealed the firearm belonged to the child's uncle and had been mistakenly left in a bag on the floor of the home. "I was cleaning and I noticed that they were in a bag that they shouldn't have been in," Wilson said. "Then all I knew is the gun went off," accidentally tormenting the family with the memory. She detailed that the gun was never loaded before when seen, and she didn't understand why it was at this time.
With multiple people inside the residence during the incident, detectives are currently working to ascertain how the firearm was accessed, as 10TV reports. Furthermore, Columbus police described this event as a "non-intentional shooting," while no charges have been filed yet, as per a report by WOSU.
Cristen Wilson, calling upon gun owners to take heed and lock their arms away, stated, "If you have a gun, please keep it unloaded, clip out, and put it up. Accidents happen, and I don’t want anybody to go through what my family is going through," as she told ABC 6. Va'Niyah, described as a sweet child with a vibrant personality, known affectionately as "Vanilla Bean," became the sixth child under 12 involved in an accidental shooting in Columbus since September.
Authorities remain in the midst of a continuing investigation and are seeking information related to this case. Anyone with information is asked to reach out to Detective Kindler at 614-645-3750, the Columbus Police Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730, or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS (8477), as was stated in a brief by WOSU. In an effort to prevent future tragedies, the family calls for increased gun safety and diligence among gun owners.
