Father charged with neglect after 5-year-old fatally shoots 9-year-old

An Indianapolis man has been charged with neglect after his 5-year-old son fatally shot another 9-year-old boy in the face.

The 27-year-old man faces one count of neglect of a dependent resulting in death, a Level 1 felony, and one count of neglect of a dependent, a Level 6 felony. 

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police were dispatched to the 7100 block of Warrior Trail just before 10 p.m. on June 26 on reports of a possible child shot. Upon arrival, officers learned the child, later identified as 9-year-old Mykah Jackson, had already been taken to St. Vincent with family members. 

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The boy was pronounced dead less than half an hour later. 

Officers on scene found a trail of blood in the parking lot that led into a downstairs apartment, where they found toys and a nearby pool of blood inside the bedroom, according to court documents. 

The 5-year-old's father told police he took his 9 mm handgun from under his air mattress in the bedroom and put it on top of the dresser, under a pile of clothing, according to court documents. He told officers he had intended to put it on top of the kitchen cabinets where the children couldn't reach it. 

The man told investigators he and Jackson's father were in the living room while the boys were playing in the bedroom. Shortly after the boys went to play, there was a gunshot, he said. 

The man told police he rushed to the bedroom and that he knew the moment he saw his gun on top of the dresser that the children had gotten to it. 

Another boy, identified as D.R. in court documents, witnessed the shooting and told investigators the boys were playing in the bedroom when the 5-year-old found the gun and went to give it to his father. D.R. said he told the boy to put the gun back on the dresser. 

There was a loud bang, he told investigators. He looked over and saw Jackson on the floor and the 5-year-old standing nearby, shaking. 

A warrant was issued for the man's arrest Friday, according to online court records.

Call IndyStar reporter Holly Hays at (317) 444-6156. Follow her on Twitter: @hollyvhays.