A 4-year-old boy fatally shot his 2-year-old cousin with an unsecured firearm left in a car in Kissimmee, Florida, police confirmed. The incident occurred Sunday afternoon, with the victim later pronounced dead at Arnold Palmer Hospital.
Unsecured gun in vehicle leads to fatal shooting
Osceola County Sheriff Chris Blackmon said officers found the 2-year-old with a gunshot wound after responding to a home. The 4-year-old, a family member visiting from Georgia, located the unsecured firearm inside the vehicle and discharged it, striking the younger child. The children were alone in the car when the shooting happened, with family members outside the vehicle at the time.
Blackmon described the gun as "literally in the open," emphasizing the ease with which a child could grab and fire it. "You can’t hit reset and start over. Once you pull that trigger, that projectile is going somewhere," he stated. The victim was identified as Brayden Tennyson of Louisville, Georgia.
Family tragedy and community response
A GoFundMe page created by a family member revealed the family had traveled to Orlando to celebrate Brayden’s third birthday. The page described the heartbreak of turning a joyful trip into a tragedy, with donations exceeding $12,000 as of Thursday to cover funeral expenses.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting, and prosecutors are reviewing the case for potential criminal charges. In May, the office distributed free gun locks to promote responsible firearm storage and prevent accidents. Firearm injuries remain a leading cause of death among U.S. children and teens, according to CDC data.
