Ezequiel Melendez was a 9-year-old boy from Perris, California, who died on May 16, 2015, after being shot at home. Authorities say the wound was inflicted when his 14-year-old brother was handling a firearm that discharged; Ezequiel died at the scene despite immediate efforts to save him. The Riverside County Coroner’s Office confirmed his identity and law enforcement investigators described the shooting as an accidental discharge.

No arrests or criminal charges were filed in connection with the incident. The community responded to the loss, and the case drew attention to the risks of unsecured firearms in homes with children and the need for gun-safety education.

Did anyone in Perris have information about this household or the circumstances that could add clarity to what happened?