Boy, 4, shoots, kills himself; two are charged

— A mother and her boyfriend are in jail after the woman’s 4-year-old boy shot and killed himself with a gun that had been stored in a shoe box.

The Commercial Appeal reported that the Shelby County grand jury indicted Jessica Johnson on a charge of reckless homicide. Clarence Coleman is charged with reckless endangerment.

Four-year-old Joshua Johnson accidentally killed himself Feb. 11 after finding the gun in a bedroom.

Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich said the indictment should serve as a wake-up call to gun owners that they must keep guns out of the reach of children. The Memphis Police Department provides free cable-style gun locks at all precincts.

Front Section, Pages 2 on 02/25/2013

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