Seven-year-old Draquine Shivar Floyd Jr. died on April 8, 2023, after an accidental shooting at his great-uncle’s home on Powell Street in Fairmont, North Carolina. According to reports, Draquine found a loaded firearm, it discharged while he was handling it, and he was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Draquine’s mother, Terricka Parks, described him as intelligent and joyful, and his grandmother, Dorothy Parks, urged gun owners to secure their weapons to prevent similar tragedies. Authorities charged the boy’s great-uncle with failure to secure a firearm to protect a minor; he was released on a $10,000 bond. The loss prompted local leaders and the governor to push gun-safety education and secure storage initiatives, and the community organized a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses.

If anyone knew Draquine or has information about the incident, please share what you know.