Lafayette Police revealed some disturbing news, saying that a four-year-old boy died after he shot himself with an unsecured gun he found in his motel room. Police were called to the 1300 block of NE Evangeline Thruway around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, regarding a toddler who suffered a gunshot wound.
When they arrived in the motel room, police discovered an unresponsive child, later identified as Princeton Mace Copeland. According to a report by WKRG, the young child was taken to a hospital for treatment, where he unfortunately later died.
The toddler's father, Mace Copeland Jr., did not mince any words when talking about the incident, saying he wanted justice for his son. Copeland Jr., a local coach and educator, said that he is torn because he was just with his son, and he is just like, how could this happen?
Copeland blames the toddler's mother for the incident
Copeland Jr. remembered his son's personality, saying that he was a happy kid who was helpful and loved to help him if he was in the kitchen cooking. According to Lafayette Police, the young boy stayed at the local motel with a family member.
Copeland said that his son was with his mother, adding that he had been told that she was out of the motel room placing a delivery order when the tragic incident occurred. Copeland said that his daughters, aged 5 and 6 months, were also in the motel room when the shooting transpired.
Lafayette police said that the toddler was already suffering from a gunshot wound in his abdomen when they arrived at the room. Copeland said that his biggest concern was why the mother had a gun within reach of his son. He added that you should be mindful of how you carry a firearm if you have a gun.
The toddler's mother, Keeira Leon, has responded to those allegations, saying she had just stepped away from the motel room due to poor Wi-Fi to order food for her kids. Leon told KLFY that her son found her loaded handgun, which was hidden under the sheets during that time.
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Copeland shooting has been ruled accidental
Police said evidence points to the toddler pulling the trigger and being hit by just one bullet. Leon was emotional when talking about the incident, saying, "I just want everyone to know that this was a big mistake, and I just wish my child would still be here. I wish. I have a lot of regret. I just wish that it would not have happened. I wish I would still have my son here."
Leon, who was just recently evicted from her apartment for non-payment of rent, said that she was not planning on staying at the motel for a long time. Police Spokesperson Sgt. Robin Green told the Advocate that the shooting had been ruled accidental.
