2-year-old shot in stomach; mother charged with safe storage violation

A Detroit mother faces criminal charges after her two-year-old son was injured by an unsecured firearm in their home. Amoya Black, 26, was booked on Thursday for failing to store the weapon properly while a minor was present. The boy is listed in critical condition in a local hospital.

The incident occurred just after 8 a.m. Tuesday on Evergreen Road near the Jeffries Freeway. Police reported that Black was preparing breakfast when she heard a loud pop from the bedroom. An investigation determined that the young boy found the gun and accidentally discharged it, hitting himself in the stomach. A four-year-old sibling was also in the house but was not hurt.

The case follows a pattern of household accidents where adults leave loaded weapons within reach of children. Prosecutors cited specific statutes regarding premises under an individual’s control and the infliction of serious impairment. Black’s attorney did not provide a statement before the charges were announced.

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield commented on the incident, stating that children cannot be expected to understand the danger of a loaded gun. She described leaving weapons accessible to minors as having no excuse. Sheffield emphasized that firearms should be unloaded, locked, and stored securely with ammunition kept separate. She called this a basic responsibility of gun ownership that should prevent children from paying the price.

Black is scheduled to appear before Magistrate Delphia Burton at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in Wayne County’s 36th District Court. The magistrate will read the charges and set bail or conditions of release. The boy remains in the hospital, where medical staff monitor his condition following the abdominal injury.