According to police, a father stored an AR-style rifle in his young son’s bedroom, causing the boy to accidentally shoot and kill his 5-year-old sister at a south Phoenix home on Tuesday night.
On Wednesday, Phoenix police said that Irvin Ramos-Jimenez, 33, had been arrested in connection with the shooting.
Officers were dispatched to an “unknown trouble” complaint around 9:15 p.m. near 6th Avenue and Wier Avenue, south of Broadway Road. Ramos-Jimenez contacted 911 and first reported that his daughter had been stabbed.
While officers were on their way to the location, they discovered Ramos-Jimenez had driven away while bringing the girl to the hospital, according to family members. Police located them outside a psychiatric facility around 7th Avenue and Buckeye Road, where they met ambulances.
Emergency personnel came and discovered that the youngster, later identified by family members as 5-year-old Layla Ramos, had been shot inadvertently by her 9-year-old brother. They brought her to the hospital, where she eventually passed away.
While responding to the scene, officers observed two vehicles, a Ford F150 and a Nissan Titan, departing the area. According to court documents, officers pulled over Ramos-Jimenez’s Nissan Titan and discovered blood on his clothing. He was then brought into prison.
According to court documents, Ramos-Jimenez told police that he was outside the home when he heard a loud crash from inside. He dashed inside to his son’s room, where he discovered his daughter shot in the torso. After the gunshot, neighbors reported the brother ran out of the house, terrified and shouting.
According to investigators, Ramos-Jimenez admitted to placing an AR-style gun on the top shelf of his son’s bedroom and that the youngster must have gotten it. He stated that after the incident, he dropped off his daughter and girlfriend at the psychiatric facility when he noticed an ambulance.
Ramos-Jimenez stated that he drove back home because there were other youngsters home alone with the weapon. When he got home, authorities claim he switched vehicles with his cousin to return to the hospital because he didn’t have enough fuel.
Detectives apprehended Ramos-Jimenez after discovering that the shooting had involved his rifle. According to court documents, he has felony convictions for narcotics trafficking and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Ramos-Jimenez admitted to acquiring the rifle “for personal protection,” according to authorities. He was taken into Maricopa County Jail on one count of possession of a weapon by a banned person, a Class 4 felony. The rifle and handgun were discovered in the Ford F150.
During his initial court appearance on Wednesday evening, prosecutors requested a $250,000 secured bond for him. “He brought a gun into a home with children, and it was not just any gun, but an assault rifle,” the prosecution stated at the court. “He stored it in his 9-year-old’s bedroom, and if this gun had not been in the house, we wouldn’t have had the outcome we did.”
The judge refused the request, releasing Ramos-Jimenez on his own recognizance. He cannot make contact with any victims or witnesses.
Layla Ramos’ mother provided the following statement to Arizona Family.
My sweet daughter Layla was only five years old, but she filled our world with a love and light far beyond her years. She had the gentlest soul—kind, soft-hearted, and always so loving. Layla was the kind of child who made everyone feel special with just a smile or a quiet hug. She was so excited for school to start soon; she would talk about it with such joy and anticipation. She loved deeply and purely, and that love will stay with us forever. Though her time with us was far too short, Layla’s beautiful spirit will always live on in our hearts
Delores Ramirez
A legitimate GoFundMe page has been established to assist with funeral expenses.
An investigation is ongoing.
“This is part of a huge devastating trend in the U.S. Guns are now the leading cause of death for children, more than car crashes, more than cancer, more than any disease,” said former chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Ann Brown.
She and other national gun safety advocates held a virtual press conference on Wednesday to commemorate Gun Safety Awareness Month. They emphasized that secure storage, such as a gun lock, is simple, effective, and life-saving.
“They prevent unauthorized access to firearms, especially in homes with children,” said Brown.