4-Year-Old Fatally Shot By Woman Claiming To Teach 'Firearm Safety,' Authorities Say
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Breanna Gayle Devall Runions, 25, was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse in the death of Evangaline Gunter in Tennessee.

Warning: Article has detailed accounts of the shooting

Breanna Gayle Devall Runions, 25, was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse in the death of Evangaline Gunter.

The child’s parents, Adam and Josie Gunter, told ABC affiliate WATE that Evangaline had been in temporary custody at a home in Rockwood, which Runions shared with girlfriend Christina Daniels and another child, a 7-year-old girl.

Before the shooting, Evangaline and the older girl were being punished that morning by Runions for not waking up the women and for eating Daniels’ food without permission, according to the warrant and a statement from Russell Johnson, district attorney general for Tennessee’s 9th Judicial District. Runions struck both girls with a sandal before forcing them to stand in different corners of the women’s bedroom, authorities said the older girl told them.

After the shooting, the women drove Evangaline to a nearby Walmart location to meet an ambulance, Roane County Medical Examiner Dr. Thomas Boduch told the Roane County News, and the vehicle transported the girl to a hospital where she was pronounced dead. Boduch could not immediately be reached by HuffPost.

  • Potatos_are_not_friends@lemmy.world
    118·
    1 year ago

    Runions pressed the barrel of the gun against the child’s chest and pulled the trigger, police said she told them.

    Daniels told police that she saw Runions take out the gun, remove its magazine and put it to Evangaline’s chest, but she turned away and didn’t see her pull the trigger, according to the warrant.

    This was a murder.

    • dan1101@lemm.ee
      13·
      1 year ago

      Yes, what the hell kind of gun safety lesson was that? Here is exactly what NOT to ever do.

      • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        10·
        1 year ago

        “Here kid, don’t do exactly this or you’ll Alec Baldwin someone.”

        Tries to “teach gun safety” by breaking all 4 major gun safety rules at once

        Yeah, not buying her story lol.