A three-year-old boy named Aydeen Pruitt tragically lost his life on July 24, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee, after suffering a fatal gunshot wound to the head. The incident occurred in the family's apartment on Oakwood Avenue. Aydeen was rushed to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.
The events leading to the young boy's death began when his father, 23-year-old D'Andre Pruitt, placed a loaded pistol on a bedroom floor.
According to his statement to detectives, D'Andre Pruitt claimed he was not aware that his son was in the bedroom at the time. Aydeen discovered the firearm and accidentally shot himself in the head. At the time of the tragic incident, Aydeen's twin brother and a 14-year-old were also in the apartment. The boy's mother was in the kitchen when she heard a loud noise from the bedroom. Shortly after, D'Andre Pruitt was seen running from the room.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, D'Andre Pruitt fled the scene, taking the gun with him and driving away in a white Kia Soul. Following the incident, law enforcement began a search for him for questioning. Through the intervention of a local pastor, D'Andre Pruitt arranged to surrender to the authorities at a church the following day. After being interviewed by detectives, he was arrested and faced multiple charges, including reckless homicide, child neglect, and evidence tampering. This tragic event was not the first time the family had been affected by gun violence, as reports indicated that Aydeen's four-year-old sister had been killed in a drive-by shooting the previous year.
