BREAKING: Cocoa Police Arrest Teen for Manslaughter in Fatal Shooting of 2-Year Old Boy

By  //  December 15, 2020

POLICE: All of the evidence and witness statements indicate the shooting was not intentional

A 16-year-old boy is in custody, one day after the fatal shooting of a 2-year-old boy. He is facing a charge of manslaughter with a firearm.

BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA, FLORIDA – A 16-year-old boy is in custody, one day after the fatal shooting of a 2-year-old boy. He is facing a charge of manslaughter with a firearm.

Space Coast Daily is not identifying the boy because he is under the age of 18.

According to Cocoa Police Public Information Officer Yvonne Martinez, the teen is being turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice where he will be held for a minimum of 21-days while the State Attorney’s Office determines how to proceed with prosecution.

Martinez said the investigation of the fatal shooting has revealed during the early morning hours of Monday, December 14, the boy and several other teens went to a home at 1671 Owosso Street where they often stayed.

“The teens brought at least two firearms with them,” said Martinez.

After interviewing all of the witnesses in the home at the time of the shooting, detectives learned that at approximately 7:30 a.m. Monday, the 16-year-old boy who was sleeping on an air mattress woke up to find the toddler handling a revolver that was lying on the mattress.

Martinez said the 16-year-old boy grabbed the revolver from the child and began handling it to make sure it was not loaded.

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Further investigation revealed the boy, who was unfamiliar with the handling of a revolver, and who thought the gun was not loaded, ended up firing the weapon and striking the child.

“All of the evidence and witness statements indicate the shooting was not intentional,” said Cocoa Police Detective Anthony Colombo.

“He was extremely emotional and remorseful.”

The toddler was identified as 2-year-old Brayden Howard.

“After the shooting, the boy ran towards his mother who immediately began screaming for help,” said Martinez.

“The first police officer on scene began life-saving measures including CPR. The boy was taken to the hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.”

The investigation is continuing, stay tuned to Space Coast Daily for updates.

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