Father arrested after he says gun under his pillow went off, killing his 2-year-old son, police say

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A DeKalb County father has been arrested after police say he shot and killed his 3-year-old son.

The father, 23-year-old Tyquontae Brunson, told police the shooting was accidental and that a gun he kept under his pillow went off and hit his son, Sekani, who was sleeping in bed with him.

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Channel 2′s Tyisha Fernandes was at the apartment complex on Glen Hollow Circle Tuesday, where police said the shooting happened Oct. 9 around 12:30 a.m.

The child was shot in the head. Brunson told police he didn’t hear the gunshot, but noticed that his son was breathing differently.

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Police said Brunson didn’t wait for an ambulance, but rushed his son to the hospital himself in his work truck.

Brunson has been charged with second-degree cruelty to children and second-degree murder. He is being held at the DeKalb County jail.

Fernandes spoke to neighbors at the complex, who said they weren’t surprised Brunson had a gun.

“There’s a lot of violence in and around this neighborhood, but you can only be so safe, so careful,” Jessica Jackson said. “I do understand having protection, but having it in reach is not a good thing, especially not around a 2-year-old baby.”

Police have not completed their investigation.

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