> At a Glance
> – A 21-year-old Virginia man was arrested after a 3-year-old boy accidentally shot himself with an unsecured gun
> – The child suffered a non-life-threatening facial injury inside a Sheryl Drive home
> – Zyquay H. Fulford now faces child neglect and contributing charges
> – Why it matters: The case highlights how quickly unsecured firearms can turn tragic-and the legal consequences adults face when children get hurt
A quiet January morning in Norfolk, Virginia, exploded into chaos when a toddler found a loaded gun and pulled the trigger, leaving blood in the hallway and a mother screaming for help.
The Shooting
Police raced to the 7600 block of Sheryl Drive at 9:40 a.m. on January 7 after reports that a 3-year-old boy had been shot. Investigators say the child discovered an unsecured firearm inside the home and accidentally shot himself in the face. The boy was rushed to a local hospital with injuries that were serious but not life-threatening.
Neighbor Keyshawn Clark told News Of Los Angeles the aftermath was harrowing:
> “She’s doing a lot of screaming. My fiancée was talking to the mother to, like, ‘Calm down, the help is on its way.’ … Blood [was] everywhere, blood on the hallway, blood everywhere.”
Clark added the mother initially thought her son had been stabbed, not shot.
Charges and Legal Stakes
Norfolk police later arrested 21-year-old Zyquay H. Fulford, charging him with child neglect and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was booked into Norfolk City Jail and released on bond.
Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi warned that adults can face felony child neglect or even involuntary manslaughter when children access guns:
> “If a child hurts themselves with a gun, that may or may not be a crime, but there is nothing I can do … that is going to be worse than a parent holding their dead child because they were careless with their gun.”
Key Takeaways
- Unsecured guns can lead to felony charges even when no one dies
- Parents or guardians aren’t the only adults who can be held legally responsible
- Non-life-threatening injuries still carry multi-year felony exposure
Fulford’s next court date has not been announced; police say the investigation remains open.
