Antone Little III was a 6-year-old boy from St. Louis who was critically wounded by a gunshot inside a north St. Louis County home in the 400 block of Midlothian Road around 2:25 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Police say he reportedly found a loaded firearm inside the residence and shot himself in the face; he was rushed to a hospital in life-threatening condition and died around 1:30 a.m. on Friday, May 29, 2026.

Investigators focused on how Antone accessed the gun. According to the probable cause statement, 19-year-old Arquez Phipps told police the firearm belonged to him and that he had hidden it fully loaded between a mattress and box spring; officers recovered the weapon at the scene. Phipps was arrested and charged on May 26, 2026, with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child resulting in serious physical injury and held on a $20,000 cash-only bond. The shooting was described by police and local outlets as accidental rather than an intentional killing.

Anyone who knew Antone or has information about how the child gained access to the firearm is asked to come forward.