The uncle of a 10-year-old girl who was killed in an accidental shooting last week was arrested in his niece’s death as Philadelphia officials continue to urge residents to keep firearms safely stored and out of the reach of children.
On Thursday, July 1, around 9:30 p.m., Philadelphia police responded to a call from a home on the 5500 block of Whitby Avenue. When they arrived they found a 10-year-old girl inside a second floor bedroom suffering from a single gunshot wound to the head. She was taken to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia where she was later pronounced dead.
After an investigation, police arrested the girl’s uncle, 28-year-old Tyree Miles, on Monday. He was charged with involuntary manslaughter and other related offenses in relation to his niece’s death.
“When children are shot because an adult did not responsibly store or lock away a firearm, that adult needs to be accountable,” Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said. “I am saddened that once again, a child’s life has been lost and their siblings forever traumatized because of access to a deadly weapon that should have been safely stored away.”
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The girl’s death occurred only days after a 10-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed himself inside a Philadelphia home.
“Writing these tragedies off as mere ‘accidents’ ignores the responsibility of individuals, and all of society for the safety and protection of our children,” Krasner said. “Greedy gun manufacturers, the NRA’s cultish following, and the craven politicians they fund and support need to be accountable as well. We need to keep pushing state and federal lawmakers for reasonable regulation of guns.”
Gun locks are available free of charge with no questions asked at the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office. You can call 215-686-3572 to receive one. Temple Safety Net, a violence prevention program at Temple University Hospital, also distributes free gun locks and offers violence prevention education and training throughout the city.
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There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
