A Michigan man with a lengthy criminal history has been charged with felony possession of a firearm after a two-year-old boy died of a gunshot wound after police suspected he was left alone in a car with that firearm.
Avis Damone Coward, 44, is the owner of the gun that led to the toddler’s death on October 24.
That day, around 3 p.m., Coward left his SUV at a gas station in Lansing and entered the store, leaving the child and the boy’s mother in the car.
A minute later, a bullet hole was visible in the vehicle’s window, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The mother was then seen getting out of the car with the child, who had obvious blood on his face from the shot. The gun is then seen to fall out of the car.
Avis Damone Coward, 44, is the owner of the gun that led to the toddler’s death on October 24
That day, around 3 p.m., Coward left his SUV at a gas station in Lansing and entered the store, leaving the child and the boy’s mother in the car. A minute later, a bullet hole was visible in the vehicle’s window, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The gun eventually falls to the ground
The unidentified two-year-old later died from his injuries.
Coward returned to the vehicle, found the gun, picked it up and put it back inside earlier closed the door and smashed the window with his hand. Then he drives away.
The 44-year-old was arrested by local authorities later that day, but the SUV was missing.
Police allege that Coward called a woman in jail and asked him to find his “phones,” which they believe were code for firearms.
The next day, Coward called both the woman and a man again, using the same code, and led investigators to track them down.
They discovered two handguns, a BB gun and five grams of meth. They immediately arrested the man, who told them that Coward had let him know where the weapons were.
It took another week before the SUV in which the child had fatally shot himself was found. It was found completely burned out in a field.
Coward has a criminal history dating back to 1998, with six felony convictions to his name.
Coward returned to the vehicle, found the gun, picked it up and put it back inside before closing the door and smashing the window with his hand. Then he drives away
It took a week to find the SUV in which the child fatally shot himself. It was found completely burned out in a field
Coward called a woman and a man who used phones as a code word for weapons, leading investigators to track them down. They discovered two handguns, a BB gun and five grams of meth
That year alone he was convicted of burglary and carrying a concealed weapon.
The following year he was convicted of delivery or manufacture of a controlled substance.
In 2003, he was convicted of brandishing a firearm while committing a violent crime.
“The death of a child by gunfire is a story that should never be written,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten.
“Yet, as of 2022, gun violence has become the number one killer of children in America for the first time in history.”
The SUV was found burned out in a field in Lansing
Coward has a criminal history dating back to 1998, with six felony convictions to his name
Totten made no mention of Coward’s past as a six-time felon, but believes gun control will stop further tragedies.
“As this growing epidemic reaches our most innocent, my office will use all available resources to secure full accountability and prevent future harm.”
The two-year-old boy’s tragic death remains under investigation and further charges may be filed People.