A man has been charged with being a felon in possession of a gun which was allegedly used in the fatal shooting of a 7-year-old.
Officials with the Metro Nashville Police Department said they arrested Anthony Sanders and charged him federally with being a felon in possession of a gun.
His gun was allegedly being handled by a two-year-old child when it discharged and fatally wounded the child's 7-year-old cousin, Harmony Warfield.
The shooting happened inside an apartment at the JC Napier Homes off of the 700 block of Lewis Street, just north of Lafayette Street south of downtown Nashville.
According to a complaint, three other juveniles were also inside the home when the shooting took place.
“Another innocent child has died because the defendant, a convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing a firearm, chose to ignore the law and arm himself with handguns," said Acting U.S. Attorney Jack Smith. “It is apparent from this investigation that multiple people knew that the defendant regularly carried firearms and some had even told him not to bring guns into the area where so many children are located. We implore our citizens to do the right thing and notify law enforcement when they become aware of someone who is illegally carrying a firearm. We can and will continue to bring federal charges against individuals who illegally possess firearms after having been convicted of a felony, but, as is the case here, these charges are usually brought after violent acts have occurred. We desperately need the help of our law abiding citizens if we are going to be successful in reducing the number of violent incidents involving firearms.”
Sanders fled from the apartment after the fatal shooting. Authorities confirmed on Thursday he had been placed in federal custody.
According to reports, Sanders was convicted of kidnapping in 2008. He was sentenced to eight years in prison, being released in June 2016.
If convicted in this case involving the death of Harmony Warfield, Sanders could face up to ten years in prison.
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