In a tragic incident in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, a 4-year-old boy named Roman Fransisco Aguilera Ortiz died on February 28, 2022. The cause of his death was an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The young male child was at home when he found a loaded semi-automatic Glock pistol that had been left unsecured on a table in his older brother's bedroom. Roman entered the room, picked up the firearm, and accidentally shot himself.
At the time of the incident, Roman was home with his 13-year-old brother, who discovered him after the shooting.
The investigation into Roman's death led to the arrests of two individuals. One of the suspects was his 18-year-old brother, Victor Lara-Ortiz. The other individual was a 31-year-old man named William Thomas. Investigators determined that Thomas had illegally purchased the firearm for Lara-Ortiz, who was a minor at the time of the gun's purchase. Thomas, who had a prior criminal conviction that should have prevented him from purchasing a firearm, allegedly provided false information on the purchase application. He was charged with illegally purchasing and transferring the firearm to a minor, among other related offenses.
Victor Lara-Ortiz, the brother of the young victim, faced several charges, including involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a child, and firearms offenses. He had reportedly left the loaded gun on his bedroom table, and the door to the room was open and unlocked. Lara-Ortiz was not home when the tragic incident occurred. He later turned himself in to the police. In February 2023, Victor Lara-Ortiz pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and other charges. He was subsequently sentenced to six to twelve months of house arrest, followed by five years of probation. During his sentencing, it was noted that he had re-enrolled in school and was supported by the community, having expressed deep remorse for his brother's death.
