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CORDER, Mo. (KCTV/KSMO) — A mother wants to raise awareness about gun safety after her son shot another child while at a sleep over at a friend’s house.
The shooting happened at a home in Corder back in August.
Thursday, one mom is sharing her son’s story hoping to protect other children.
As Melissa Syler helped her son Camron with math homework, she talked about the important lessons she wished she had taught him sooner.
“I never thought I needed to teach my 11-year-old gun awareness safety. I’m a single mom. I don’t own any weapons. I didn’t know I should have taught him. I should have. I’ve taught him since then,” said Syler.
She’s talking about August 3rd, Camron stayed the night at a friend’s house that night. According to a Missouri Department of Social Services report, Syler shared with KCTV5 News, an adult who moved out of the home Camron was staying at told investigators she forgot she had left a gun in the bedroom where the boys were playing in.
“I fully entrusted that these parents were going to take care of my child and instead they played with a gun that night,” voiced Syler.
“I was admiring how cool they were and not what they can do to people,” explained Camron.
“My son Camron picked it up. He had never been around an actual gun,” Syler continued, “It went off. The other little boy, an 11-year-old, was shot because the gun went off. Thank God he was okay. He is okay.”
The Children’s Division report says the 11-year-old who was shot was treated and released from a hospital without surgery because the bullet went through his shoulder. The report says law enforcement classified the shooting as accidental and charges were not being pursued.
“More parents need to be aware. You always think it’s not going to happen to you but it can,” said Syler.
Friday, Melissa and Camron are headed to a conference at the Lafayette County Juvenile Office to discuss an unlawful use of a weapon referral. They both completed a gun safety class. Syler hopes other parents, even parents who don’t own guns, will do the same with their children.
“If you do have a gun in your home it needs to be locked up in a safe spot,” explained Syler.
“So no one can get to it and no one can get hurt,” voiced Camron.
We are told everyone who was at the home when the shooting happened including adults and children completed a gun safety class with the local police department.
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