Five-year-old Lyric LaElla Thomas died in an accidental shooting at a residence on Moretz Avenue in Charlotte, North Carolina, just after midnight on January 1, 2023. Emergency responders pronounced her dead at the scene.

Family members Christina Morris and Naquone Thomas remembered Lyric as a ball of life and a ball of joy; a candlelight vigil and balloon release were held near the house as the family and community honored her. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department classified the shooting as accidental, and no arrests have been announced.

Community leaders, including representatives from the Druid Hills Community Association, have stressed gun safety and safe firearm storage in the wake of Lyric’s death. Does anyone have information about this case or resources on local safe-storage programs to share with the family?