GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A father in Grand Rapids now faces criminal charges after his 2-year-old child shot himself in the hand.
Nakobi Thomas is being charged under Michigan's safe storage law, according to Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker. Thomas and the boy's mother brought their son to the hospital on Saturday morning, saying the toddler got ahold of a gun.
Thomas told investigators he normally stores his weapons in a lock box in the kitchen of his apartment on Prosepect Avenue. He could not recall if he locked up his gun on Saturday or not, according to court documents.
The boy's mom, who also lives in the apartment, told police she could not remember if Thomas had put the gun in the lock box after coming home from work that morning.
Thomas, who has a concealed carry license, took off his clothes to take a shower. His clothes were left in the bedroom closet.
The boy and his mother were later getting ready for a soccer match in the same bedroom when she left the room. In less than a minute, a gunshot rang out. The mother found her son with a graze wound to his hand. Thomas burst from the bathroom at the sound of the shot.
The mom took the boy to the hospital while Thomas locked up the gun.
Later, during interviews with police, Thomas and the boy's mom admitted the gun was in a lock box inside the vehicle they used to bring the boy to the hospital. Officers used a warrant to seize the gun and a spent shell casing in the case.
Detectives also searched the couple's apartment, finding several other firearms inside. One was behind a violin case and was fully loaded.
Luckily the child's hand was only glanced by the bullet. They are expected to not have any long-term health issues.
If convicted under the safe storage law felony, Thomas could face up to 5 years in prison.
Thomas also faces unrelated drug charges related to a smoke shop he owns.
A raid on that business unveiled a scheme where Thomas sold stickers for cash, and then customers could receive certain drugs for particular stickers, according to court documents.
Thomas faces multiple counts of delivering controlled substances, possessing controlled substances, and maintaining a drug house.
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