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26-year-old Milwaukee man charged in connection to fatal shooting of 2-year-old

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Posted at 11:51 AM, Aug 04, 2021
and last updated 2021-08-04 12:51:26-04

A 26-year-old man has been charged after an incident on Aug. 1 where a 2-year-old child was fatally shot.

Milwaukee police said Giovanni Smith has been charged with neglect of a child resulting in death after another child at the home located near 9th and Madison Street was able to get a hold of a gun and shoot the 2-year-old.

In a criminal complaint, police said Smith was on the phone in another room while the 2-year-old and another child were watching TV in a bedroom in the home. Smith told police that he heard a "pop" noise and walked in to see the child holding the gun and the 2-year-old bleeding.

According to Smith, the gun belonged to a family member who had requested Smith hold on to it. According to the complaint, Smith told officers the gun was usually placed under the mattress in the bedroom.

Police say the child told officers the gun was on top of a speaker in the room at the time of the shooting, which Smith later admitted could have happened.

The complaint said the child suffered a gunshot wound to his side and died at the scene.

If convicted, Smith could face up to 25 years in prison.

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