Tragedy struck in Lakeland, Florida, when a six-year-old boy, Major Smith, died from an unintentional, self-inflicted gunshot wound after discovering a firearm in his older brother’s rental car. The incident occurred on Sunday, with details revealed in a press release from Lakeland Police spokeswoman Stephanie Kerr on Wednesday.
According to the report, Major was with his father, Myron Smith Sr., and older brother, Myron Smith Jr., just before the incident. After returning from a store trip, Myron Jr. briefly spent time in the rented gray Nissan Altima before heading inside their home on West Crawford Street. While Myron Sr. sat on the porch making a phone call, Major entered the unlocked vehicle. Inside, he accessed a Glock 19X left unsecured between the driver’s seat and the center console.
A single gunshot rang out, and Myron Sr. rushed to the car to find Major bleeding from the head. The firearm was found on the driver’s seat. Myron Jr. immediately transported Major to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, where doctors fought to save his life. Despite their efforts, Major succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday.
The scene outside the hospital Sunday night was somber, with the rental car—its window shattered—cordoned off by crime scene tape as investigators worked to piece together the incident. By 7 p.m., the car had been towed away.
Major’s grandmother, Cynthia Rodriguez of Buffalo, New York, described him as “a loving son and big brother to his twin sisters.” In a fundraising appeal to cover funeral and medical expenses, she shared that Major was a joyful child who brought “light and love to everyone who knew him.”
The family had raised $2,500 of their $5,000 goal by Thursday afternoon. Rodriguez revealed that Major, who had special needs and was on the autism spectrum, was a kindergartener and deeply cherished by his family.
This heartbreaking incident is not an isolated one in Polk County. Since 2015, at least nine other accidental shootings involving children have been reported, three of them fatal. In December, another tragic case occurred when 12-year-old Josiah Cruz accidentally shot himself after finding a loaded firearm during a sleepover.
These incidents underscore the critical importance of firearm safety and secure storage to prevent such devastating losses in the future.