CANTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — The little boy who lost his life in Canton Township after what relatives call a tragic accidental shooting is 8-year-old Jack Bennett.
“He is a fun-loving kid. Everyone loved him. He could get away with anything with his two little dimples,” said Tammy Snyder, the little boy’s mom.
Snyder says Jack was her and his dad’s only child, their joy and he loved his dad. He loved planes, trains, trucks, and said he wanted to be a garbage man when he grew up.
“He loved going fishing with his dad, loved watching all kinds of movies, especially Nightmare Before Christmas,” she said.
Their family was at their home Tuesday afternoon off of Old Michigan Avenue when Jack asked if he could watch that movie. His mom says she was about to put it on when it happened.
“It was a freak accident. It was supposed to be an unloaded gun and my husband was just doing maintenance cleaning on it like he normally does. There wasn’t supposed to be any rounds in it or anything like that,” she said.
The gun somehow went off and a bullet hit Jack. Canton Township Police say he was rushed to the hospital, but doctors could not save him.
Jack was a student in the Wayne-Westland School District. Counselors were there for students and staff Wednesday.
“Our hearts are heavy. This student brought love and joy to the classroom and will be missed by classmates and staff,“ said, John Dignan, the district’s superintendent.
Tammy says she and her husband are crushed, heartbroken, lost thinking only of the little boy that was their world. Police have been holding him in custody, pending possible charges in connection to his son’s death.
“He was just a good kid,” she said.
Police say the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office is reviewing evidence deciding whether there will be charges.
Attorney Terry Johnson, who specializes in gun safety and criminal defense, says even accidents can lead to serious charges. Johnson says it is important to make sure guns are properly unloaded every time you clean them.
