6-year-old boy accidentally shoots younger brother, killing him; great-grandfather charged

A 6-year-old North Carolina boy accidentally shot his younger brother, killing the boy, authorities announced last week.

The shooting happened on Oct. 8 in Greenville , about 85 miles east of Raleigh, said the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office in a news release.

Someone called the deputies just after 7 p.m. that night, and when authorities arrived, they found a 5-year-old child who had been shot in the head. The child, identified by the Pitt County Sheriff's Office and Pitt County Schools as 5-year-old Karter Rosenboro, was taken to a hospital where he was eventually pronounced dead.

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Gun owner charged is boy's great-grandfather, authorities say

On Oct. 10, detectives arrested 72-year-old Rayfield Ruffin, who owned the gun and the home where the shooting took place. The sheriff’s office said he was charged due to a violation of statute 14-315.1 and failed to store the firearm to protect the children in the home.

Ruffin was released after posting an unsecured $2,000 bond.

"It was a terribly sad and tragic event," wrote Sgt. Lee Darnell in an email to USA TODAY. He said Ruffin, the man arrested in connection to the case, is Karter's great-grandfather.

A lawyer representing Ruffin did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

North Carolina boy loved to make others laugh, was learning Spanish

Karter was a student at Northwest Elementary School, his school district confirmed. He was in kindergarten and was learning Spanish.

“His favorite word was ‘sientate’ which means sit down, something he never did,” his family wrote, reflecting on his short life in an online obituary .

He also owned a hat and a gold chain he’d wear, pairing them with sunglasses. His favorite colors were blue, red and green and like most children his age, he took to a wall in his grandparents’ home and wrote his name in blue. His name is still written there, his family said.

“After learning about the elections and Vice President Kamala Harris from his grandmother he was eager to learn more,” his family wrote.

The kindergartener lost his first tooth shortly before he died and got $10 from the tooth fairy, his family recalled. He spent his money on candy.

The 5-year-old leaves behind three sisters and two brothers, as well as his mother and father.

Karter's paternal grandfather, Terry Rosenboro Sr., said he was vibrant and loved the movie "Cars."

"He was granddaddy's boy," Rosenboro said.

His twin sister, Khloe, was "always his protector," their grandfather said. If Karter was hungry, she'd tell an adult. If Karter was being picked on, she'd speak up about it.

He said both Karter's mom and dad come from large families so they have healthy support systems.

"I'm a pastor, so we have a lot of support from the church as well in the community," said Rosenboro, a pastor at True Deliverance Church of Christ in Kinston.

He said Karter was a loving child and what happened to him was an "unfortunate mishap."

Shortly after reflecting on the boy and the accident that took him away, his grandfather had a message to share: "Love and forgiveness conquers all."

Kenisha Salley Boomer is a friend of the boy’s grandfather and shared a GoFundMe link and asked that people donate.

“If you can donate anything please do,” she shared on Facebook Tuesday. “Sending prayers to Terry & his wife, his mother & father and the entire family.”

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Unintentional firearm injury is one of the leading causes of death among youth: CDC

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unintentional injury is one of the leading causes of death among U.S. children aged 0 to 17 years old. Firearms are considered a leading injury method, the CDC reported.

The agency also reported that one-half of unintentional firearm injury deaths among children happen at home or while playing with or showing the firearm to another person.

"Overall, firearms used in unintentional injury deaths were often stored both loaded and unlocked and were commonly accessed from nightstands and other sleeping areas," the CDC reported.

The agency said it's possible to reduce these accidental deaths by keeping firearms locked, unloaded and separate from ammunition.

This story has been updated with new information.

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at @SaleenMartin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com .

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 6-year-old boy accidentally shoots younger brother, killing him; great-grandfather charged