'I Was Bleeding A Lot': 7-Year-Old Boy Recalls Getting Struck By Falling Bullet On July 4th As Other Family Mourns Loss Of Another Young Shooting Victim
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) -- A 7-year-old boy and his mother are both speaking out after the child was struck by a stray bullet on the night of July 4th while he was in the family pool.
Jason Puentes spoke with CBS4's Peter D'Oench as he was taken out of Broward Health Medical Center in his wheelchair. With a smile on his face and his left arm wrapped in a big bandage wrapped with a balloon and flowers beside him, Jason said, "I was in the pool and something hit my arm. I was bleeding a lot."
It happened just after 9:00 p.m. while fireworks were going off his neighborhood near Cypress Creek Road and 31st Avenue.
"I feel pretty good now," he said. "But I was scared a lot. It hurt a lot. It was like my arm is hurting. It was bleeding. It was right here," he said, pointing to his bandage.
"When it happened, it happened very quickly. My sister took him out and he was bleeding," explained his mother Mayra Soto. "When I saw he was bleeding I called 911 and they came right away. I was a mess. He was calm. I was a mess. But everything thank God came out perfectly and didn't damage him. He was so calm and he was telling jokes to the paramedics."
"I can't believe it. You see this on the news all the time. Just on July 4th you have to be careful. What goes up has to come down and you don't know who you are hurting," said Soto.
Fort Lauderdale police do not have any suspects.
If you can help them, call Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-TIPS (8477). There is a reward of up to $3,000.
Meanwhile, another family in Fort Lauderdale is in mourning for another 7-year-old boy who died this past weekend after being shot at his family home near Sunrise Boulevard and Northwest 2nd Avenue on July 2.
Fort Lauderdale police now say detectives believe three children were alone in a room inside the home when a gun discharged. They say foul play is not suspected but the investigation is ongoing.
They were alerted by the shooting during a call to 911. Police released the 911 call in which a woman called and was screaming for help. The dispatcher was heard saying "Calm down so I can understand you. Repeat the address slowly."
Eddie Arnold, who is Brason Plummer's grandfather told D'Oench that "He was a beautiful spirit and a helpful young man. He would come through the neighborhood and help people cutting grass and taking out garbage. I died with him deep down inside. He was just 7 years old and he was very smart and respectful."
"Any idea how this happened?" He was asked.
"Well the investigation is going on and I don't want to say any more because we need to get all the facts," he said. "I do want to say something about gun safety. Keep those guns out of kids' reach if they are in the house and if they are there lock them up so kids can't get to them."