In a tragic turn of events in Nashville, Tennessee, two-year-old Anthony Thorpe, a male, lost his life in what was determined to be an accidental shooting. The incident occurred on the night of November 1, 2021, inside an apartment on Oakwood Avenue. Anthony's father, Jeffery Thorpe, who was visiting the child and his mother, Aaliyah Scales, had placed his firearm on a bed where the young boy was.
While Jeffery Thorpe was in the shower, the toddler picked up the gun and accidentally shot
himself in the head. In the immediate aftermath, Jeffery drove both Anthony and his mother to Skyline Medical Center. However, after dropping them off, he fled the scene and did not return. The young boy was subsequently transferred to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, where he was listed in extremely critical condition. Despite medical efforts, Anthony succumbed to his injury on November 6, 2021.
Following the incident, law enforcement began an investigation and sought Jeffery Thorpe for questioning. He was also wanted on a separate outstanding warrant for aggravated assault. In May 2023, the East Precinct's Community Field Intelligence Team received a tip regarding Jeffery's whereabouts in the East Nashville area. When officers attempted to stop a vehicle in which he was a passenger, the car fled. A police helicopter monitored the vehicle, and after a short foot pursuit, Jeffery Thorpe was apprehended.
A grand jury indictment led to Jeffery Thorpe, then 24, being charged with reckless homicide and felony child neglect in connection with his son's death. He also faced additional charges, including aggravated assault, theft, resisting arrest, and trespassing. He was subsequently jailed at the Downtown Detention Center.
