HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – A Hollywood man is facing charges after his 6-year-old son accidentally shot himself in the arm on New Year’s Day. According to court records, the incident occurred at the apartment of Travyonne Martin, located on Pierce Street. Martin was arrested on charges of child neglect causing great bodily harm and allowing a minor access to a weapon.
The police received a call around 10:15 p.m. from a concerned neighbor reporting that Martin was banging on their door and appeared to be injured. Martin, along with his girlfriend and son, quickly left the scene. The young boy underwent surgery at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and survived the incident.
Authorities discovered a total of eight loaded and unsecured guns inside Martin’s home, with one of them left on a table, which was the weapon involved in the accidental shooting. The child’s mother expressed that despite their differences, Martin is a good father overall. However, the judge strongly admonished Martin for his negligent actions, emphasizing that having a gun so easily accessible to a child was unthinkable.
The judge’s lecture highlighted the fact that children are not able to distinguish between toys and actual weapons, emphasizing that the responsibility falls on the adults. As a result, Martin was prohibited from having direct contact with his son. Currently, the child is out of the hospital and continuing his recovery at home.
Martin is currently detained at Broward’s Paul Rein Detention Facility on a $20,000 bond. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of gun safety and proper storage, particularly when children are present. It is necessary for adults to take every precaution to ensure the safety of their loved ones and prevent tragic accidents like this from occurring.
In summary, a Hollywood man is facing felony charges following an incident where his 6-year-old son accidentally shot himself. The incident shed light on the need for responsible gun ownership and the importance of keeping firearms out of reach of children. The child survived after undergoing surgery at a local hospital. Martin is now in custody and is prohibited from having in-person contact with his son. Gun safety remains an essential aspect of protecting families and preventing such incidents from happening in the future.