Boy, 7, dies days after being shot in head at Fort Lauderdale home

Brayson Plummer was inside room with 2 other children when shooting occurred, police say

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. ā€“ A 7-year-old boy died over the weekend after he was shot in the head at a home in Fort Lauderdale, authorities confirmed on Monday.

The boy was identified by his grandmother as Brayson Plummer.

According to authorities, the shooting occurred around 9:30 a.m. Thursday in the 1500 block of Northwest Second Avenue.

Fort Lauderdale police spokeswoman Casey Liening said detectives believe that three children were alone inside a room at the home when the gun discharged. Foul play is not suspected. Authorities have not said whether the boy accidentally shot himself or was accidentally shot by one of the other children.

Brayson was taken to Broward Health Medical Center in extremely critical condition.

Liening confirmed Monday that the boy had succumbed to his injuries over the weekend.

She said the investigation remains ongoing.

Itā€™s unclear whether anyone will be charged in Braysonā€™s death.

Several neighbors told Local 10 News reporter Jeff Weinsier that they had complained about issues at Braysonā€™s home for months before the shooting.

ā€œThereā€™s always groups of people ā€” people coming and going all day and night. Weā€™ve seen fights,ā€ Cal Miller said.

ā€œThatā€™s a problem house,ā€ another neighbor, Robert Miller, said.

Miller said he had called police only two nights before the shooting after his Ring doorbell camera captured a man and a child walking out of the house, while a group is seen gathered in front near a car. The sound of a gunshot then goes off as the people outside duck for cover.

ā€œI showed them the video, still pictures, of what goes on there,ā€ Miller said.

Miller said he told officers something bad was going to happen at the house.

ā€œIā€™m upset, Iā€™m devastated about the child first and foremost, but what Iā€™m really upset about is in six months there has been at least 30 or 40 calls in to that house. And every single time has failed that child,ā€ Miller said.

The Fort Lauderdale Police Department confirmed that since Jan. 1, there have been 73 police calls to the home.

Braysonā€™s grandfather, Eddie Arnold, told Weinsier on Monday that he wants the neighbors to allow his family to get the closure they need during this time.

ā€œLet us put him away the best way we can and we can deal with the rest of this later,ā€ Arnold said.

Arnold said the negativity from neighbors is not helping the situation.

ā€œWe need closure. We need people to understand what we are going through,ā€ he said. ā€œRight now the whole family is suffering. The family does not like what has happened.ā€


About the Authors:

Jeff Weinsier joined Local 10 News in September 1994. He is currently an investigative reporter for Local 10. He is also responsible for the very popular Dirty Dining segments.

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.