In the summer of 2023, a bright-eyed, two-year-old Black or African American boy named Jaiangelis Stevenson, affectionately called "Blue" or "Baby Blu" by his family because of his vibrant eyes, tragically lost his life. On the evening of July 9th, in an apartment in Las Vegas, Nevada, near Nellis Air Force Base, Jaiangelis was in the care of a close family member while his mother was at work.
It was during this time that the unthinkable happened.
Around 6:30 p.m., the sound of a gunshot shattered the evening quiet. First responders arrived to a devastating scene and discovered that young Jaiangelis had suffered a gunshot wound. He was rushed to University Medical Center, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead. The initial investigation by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department indicated that the gunshot wound was self-inflicted, a tragic accident that occurred after he found a gun in the home.
In the days that followed, Jaiangelis's family was left reeling from the sudden and profound loss of a child described as having a big personality that could always make someone smile. His aunt recalled how he would greet her with "Hi Ti Ti" and walk around with his little popsicle. The family clarified that the firearm involved did not belong to the boy's mother, and they were still trying to understand how the weapon came to be in the home and accessible to the toddler.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's Abuse and Neglect detectives opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting. While his aunt acknowledged the negligence of a child being able to access a firearm, she also expressed that she did not believe the tragic event was intentional. As of the initial reports, no arrests had been made or suspects publicly named in connection with the ongoing investigation into the heartbreaking death of young Jaiangelis.
