NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – A Nashville man is facing federal charges after a two-year-old child used his gun in the fatal shooting of a 7-year-old.
Anthony Patrick Sanders, 27, of Nashville, Tennessee, was charged yesterday with being a convicted felon in possession of firearms, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jack Smith of the Middle District of Tennessee. The charge is the result of an investigation into the shooting death of 7-year old Harmony Warfield, which occurred on June 6, 2017.
Warfied was shot in the head by a two-year old boy who picked up a handgun and fired it while in an apartment in the J.C. Napier public housing development. Warfield died as a result of the injury.
Investigators determined that Anthony Sanders stayed at the home the night before and was known to generally carry one or two firearms whenever he was in the J.C. Napier housing area. Sanders sometimes kept the firearms in the residence where Harmony Warfield was shot.
The investigation determined that Sanders had stayed at the residence the night before and had slept on the couch. According to witness statements and video evidence, Sanders woke up and went outside. Shortly thereafter, the gun was discharged by the two-year-old, striking Harmony in the head. Sanders re-entered the residence and saw Harmony laying on the kitchen floor, retrieved the firearm and fled the area, saying he could not go back to prison.
Also, according to the complaint, three other juveniles were inside the residence when the incident occurred.
Sanders had previously been convicted in 2008 of kidnapping and was sentenced to eight years in prison. He was released from prison in June 2016.
Sanders was arrested by federal agents yesterday afternoon and appeared before a U.S. Magistrate earlier today.
If convicted, Sanders faces up to 10 years in prison.