Investigators said Wednesday that 9-year-old Adrian Brown died from a gunshot wound from a gun fired by his 11-year-old sibling when they were left alone Saturday along with a 13-year-old sibling in their Gary residence in the 400 block of Madison Street.
Police said after Adrian found the loaded gun under a mattress, he showed it to his 11-year-old sibling, believing it was “a fake.”
Raymon Bell, 35, the boyfriend of the boys’ mother, has been charged with eight felonies stemming from the shooting.
Gary Police Detective Darryl Gordon, of the Lake County Prosecutor’s Task Force, said Wednesday that based on his interview with the 11-year-old, he believed the shooting was accidental.
On Tuesday, a statement from Lake County Prosecutor Bernard A. Carter issued a statement saying Adrian Brown found and discharged the unsecured firearm. Carter’s spokeswoman said in a Wednesday email that she was out of the office Tuesday and the statement would be retracted.
Authorities charged Bell with neglect of a dependent resulting in death; neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury; unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent offender; reckless homicide; three counts of neglect of a dependent and obstruction of justice.
Bell was convicted of aggravated battery in 2015. That conviction made him a serious violent felon under Indiana law. He was also convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon in 2024. Police said Bell appears to be on probation for that offense.
No charges have been filed against the boys’ mother at this time, Gordon said, because police can’t prove she knew Bell had the gun in the house.
The events unfolded about 6:30 p.m. Saturday when the boys’ mom and Bell went to the store, leaving the children home alone.
The probable cause affidavit said Adrian Brown found the gun under the mattress and showed it to his 11-year-old brother, telling him he thought it was a fake gun.
A 13-year-old sibling was in a bedroom playing video games when he heard a loud “boom,” and said his 11-year-old sibling began pounding on the bedroom door.
The older sibling ran out of the house and knocked on a neighbor’s door for help. Meanwhile, the boys’ mother and Bell returned home and rushed Adrian to the hospital. The mother carried Adrian inside as Bell sped away with the passenger door of the Jeep Cherokee still open.
The Lake County coroner’s office pronounced the boy dead from gunshot wounds at 7:16 p.m.
Police spoke with the 11-year-old and the children’s grandmother, who now has custody of the children.
The 11-year-old initially said he was in the living room watching TV and heard a loud “boom” and found Adrian lying on the floor in the hallway.
The 11-year-old told police he had no explanation of how Adrian got hurt, given the autopsy findings. The 11-year-old told investigators Adrian found the gun under a mattress and handed it to him, saying it was “fake.”
The 11-year-old told police the gun resembled a “cowboy” gun, meaning a revolver.
“After detectives left the room for a few minutes, (the boy) broke down in tears appearing to be physically and emotionally distraught,” the charging document stated.
After the shooting, police couldn’t locate the handgun and suspected Bell of removing it after he dropped off the wounded boy and his mother at the hospital.
During a police interview, Bell denied having a gun at the house or any knowledge of a firearm. He denied consent to search his phone.
The affidavit said police believe Bell removed the firearm from the crime scene “before he seemingly surreptitiously avoided police contact,” until he was interviewed Sunday.
The children’s grandmother said Bell came to her house after the shooting with the children and was aware Bell had said he was feeling guilty about what occurred.
Initially, a release stated police responded to a 911 hang-up call about 6:30 p.m. Saturday from the residence. Before officers arrived, police received a separate call from Methodist Northlake Hospital in Gary reporting a 9-year-old gunshot victim.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.