In a quiet Louisville, Kentucky, apartment in the Algonquin neighborhood, a family was irrevocably changed in the late hours of a Sunday night. Three-year-old Anthony Blake Wells, a young boy described as sweet, awoke while his parents and siblings were asleep. A curious toddler, he began to explore his home in the pre-dawn quiet.
His exploration led him to a handgun his father had attempted to hide. In the innocence of his young age, he began to play with the firearm.
The play turned tragic when the gun discharged, inflicting a fatal wound to his head. The sound of the gunshot woke his parents to a scene of unimaginable horror. Emergency services were called, and the young boy was rushed to Kosair Children's Hospital, but his injuries were too severe. Anthony Blake Wells died on Monday, September 12, 2016.
The Louisville Metro Police Department's Major Crimes unit investigated the devastating incident. They determined that the shooting was a tragic accident. The firearm was legally owned, and investigators stated that they did not anticipate filing charges against the parents, believing the profound grief of their loss was a punishment in itself. The community was left to mourn the loss of a young life, with the incident serving as a heart-wrenching reminder of the importance of firearm safety, particularly with children in the home. This tragedy was compounded by the fact that it was the second accidental shooting involving a child in that same apartment complex in just a matter of weeks.
