In the quiet Minneapolis suburb of Plymouth, a heartbreaking story unfolded on May 16, 2018, forever changing the lives of a local family. Seven-year-old Keyaris Samuels, a young African American boy, died that day from a gunshot wound to his head. The incident was a tragic accident, a result of a loaded handgun discovered where no child should ever find one.
Earlier in the day, Keyaris, a first-grade student in the Wayzata school district, was at home with three other children.
No adults were present at the time. The children had been playing together after school. Keyaris came across a box for a new hoverboard that had been brought into the home. Inside the box, he discovered a loaded handgun. He accidentally fired the weapon, inflicting the fatal wound. Other children in the home heard the gunshot and found him.
The investigation that followed painted a grim picture of negligence. Keyaris's mother informed police that she did not keep a gun in the house and was unaware of its presence. She suggested that a male friend who had been visiting earlier that day might have left it behind. Investigators later found a half-full box of ammunition of the same caliber as the handgun inside a diaper bag in the home. The mother's friend was later arrested for a parole violation after failing to meet with his parole officer. A search warrant was issued to collect his DNA to determine if he had handled the gun. DNA samples were also taken from the boy's mother and his 11-year-old brother.
Despite a year-long investigation that involved numerous interviews, DNA analysis, and examination of cellphones, prosecutors ultimately concluded there was not enough evidence to file criminal charges against anyone. The Plymouth Police Department and the Hennepin County Attorney's Office both agreed on this decision, leading to the case being declared inactive. Plymouth Public Safety Director Mike Goldstein expressed his deep disappointment with the outcome, stating, "This little boy was 7 years old, and he should still be here today interacting with his family, going to school and growing up to become a productive member of society. He doesn't get that chance because of someone else's irresponsibility." While the active investigation has ended, authorities have stated that they would reopen the case if any new information were to come to light.
