CLEVELAND, Ohio – A 3-year-old boy died Wednesday in an accidental shooting in a family garage in Brunswick Hills, police said.
Officers arrived at a house in the 900 block of Marks Road at about 5:30 p.m. after a person called police to report a child had been wounded.
The man who called officers said he was across the street when he heard the gun go off. He said that he was told the gun fell off a workbench in the garage, and the child, identified by family as Maxwell Alexander Lamatrice, was shot in the chest.
“You gotta look at me,” a man is heard telling the boy in the background of the 911 call police. “Oh my God no. Stay with me buddy.”
The child was flown to MetroHealth Medical Center, where he died, police said.
Bree Hargus, Maxwell’s aunt, said friends of the family started a GoFundMe to help cover expenses following the boy’s death.
Maxwell Alexander Lamatrice, 3, died after accidentally being shot in Brunswick Hills Wednesday evening.Provided by the family of Maxwell Alexander Lamatrice
“We are busy planning Maxwell’s funeral right now and are just asking for privacy at this time,” Hargus said.
Hargus said the child will be missed dearly.
“There will always be a void in our hearts that can only be filled with the abundant, precious love Maxwell blessed us with during his stay on Earth that God granted us,” she said.
Brunswick Hills police are investigating the shooting.
“When the investigation is complete, it will be sent to the Medina County prosecutor’s office for review,” said Tim Sopkovich, the township’s police chief.