As police are investigating the death of a 7-year-old kid in Independence, the family of the youngster stopped by on Thursday to commemorate the little boy, whom they referred to as a light.
“He had an abundance of energy,” expressed Gala Brownfield, the aunt of the victim. “He displayed a sense of maturity beyond his years and held a deep affection for his siblings.”
The fire department responded to a medical call at a residence on 32nd Street and Crysler Avenue around 8 p.m. on Wednesday. After assessing the situation, the crew determined that law enforcement intervention was necessary.
Officer Kelly Rupert, public information officer with the Independence Police Department, stated that when the fire broke out, the authorities immediately called for police assistance.
When the police arrived, the situation turned into a death investigation. The child’s aunt received a notification around 9 p.m. that the child had tragically shot himself by accident.
According to Brownfield, her nephew was a second grader at Three Trails Elementary School and resided with his parents, two brothers, and a cousin. It was the cousin, who happens to be Brownfield’s niece, that reached out to inform her about the situation.
Brownfield was puzzled by what he heard. According to him, a woman mentioned a loud noise followed by shouts to call 911. He couldn’t comprehend the situation.
According to the police, the residence has been marked as a disorderly home due to incidents involving stolen vehicles and a past record of obstructing law enforcement.
The family remains in disbelief and is grappling with the next steps to take. According to his aunt, they mustered the courage to bring balloons to the house and release them in his memory, as a way to celebrate him on the very day they had originally planned to rejoice together.
Brownfield expressed that things would feel different without him.
The cause of his death and his jailer are unknown. Yzekial would’ve turned eight in February.
