Man charged after Durham boy, 4, shoots himself with unlocked gun, police say
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Durham 4-year-old in critical condition after accidentally shooting himself.
- Man charged with permitting child to use firearm; he posted $1,000 bond.
- Advocates urge unloaded, locked storage; call Durham tips at 919-560-4440.
A 4-year-old boy is in critical condition after he accidentally shot himself with an unsecured gun in a home, Durham police said Sunday night.
Officers responded to the shooting on the 700 block of Linwood Avenue, which is in the Hayti community just south of downtown, at 10:40 a.m. Sunday.
The boy, whose name has not been released, was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, according to a Durham Police Department news release. Police have not provided an update on his condition as of Monday morning.
“Preliminary information indicates that this was an accidental shooting and that the victim shot himself with an unsecured firearm inside the home,” the release stated.
Patrick Daye, 52, has been charged with misdemeanor permitting a young child to use a firearm, the release stated. Police have not described what relationship Daye and the boy have.
Daye is accused of leaving a 9 mm pistol “in condition that the firearm can be discharged and in manner that the defendant knew and should have known that an unsupervised minor could be able to gain access to,” according to a magistrate’s order.
He posted a $1,000 secured bond and was released from custody.
Accidental shootings by children in the U.S.
According to Everytown for Gun Safety, a gun-violence prevention group, North Carolina had 108 unintentional shootings by children from 2015-23.
The two age groups most likely to accidentally shoot themselves or others are high school students between the ages of 14 and 17, followed by preschoolers ages 5 and younger.
To prevent accidental injuries and deaths, the group and experts recommend unloading ammunition, locking the gun, and storing the gun and ammunition in separate places.
Anyone with information about Sunday’s shooting is asked to call Investigator A. Bongarten at 919-560-4440 ext. 29529. People can also submit a tip online at durhamcrimestoppers.org or call 919-683-1200. CrimeStoppers pays cash rewards of up to $2,000 for information leading to arrests in felony cases and callers never have to identify themselves.
This story was originally published November 3, 2025 at 8:00 AM.