In Norfolk, Virginia, a tragic incident cut short the life of 14-year-old Amir Burnett on September 3, 2023. The young male, a student at Norview Middle School who loved football, was at a gathering with other teenagers at the Crown Point Townhomes. An adult, Albert James Sutton, was supervising the group of about a dozen children, who ranged in age from toddlers to teenagers, while other adults were running errands.
Sutton, who was 27 at the time, brought a gun with him and began
showing it to the children in an upstairs bedroom. In a moment of profound negligence, the gun discharged, and a single bullet struck Amir in the chest. Instead of rendering aid, Sutton fled the home with the firearm, leaving the children to call 911 and try to help their friend. When police arrived, they found Amir unresponsive. He was transported to Sentara Leigh Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators quickly identified Sutton as the person responsible. After being contacted by officers and directed to come back to the scene, Sutton returned and was detained. Initially, he tried to mislead the police by blaming one of the other children for firing the weapon. However, he later admitted that he was the one who had inadvertently fired the gun, claiming it went off as he was trying to place it in his waistband.
Albert Sutton was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless handling of a firearm. He initially called the shooting a 'mistake' but was denied bond. In August 2024, Sutton pleaded guilty to the charges. Subsequently, he was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in the unintentional, yet fatal, shooting of Amir Burnett.
