The mother of a 1-year-old boy who was accidentally shot in the head by a Houston police officer said her son remains in intensive care after the incident earlier this month.
Daisha Smalls pumped gasoline on March 3 when police officers who shot a suspicious robbery into her car and injured her baby, Legend Smalls. The suspect, who was killed, jumped into Smalls’ car and an officer feared he would try to hack her, Houston police chief said.
“My son did not deserve it,” Smalls said Tuesday as she spoke to her attorney, Benjamin Crump, about the incident.
Legend, who was in his car seat at the time of the shooting, had to have the right side of his skull removed, his mother said.
“He still has bullet fragments in his head, and he’s in intensive care,” Smalls said. “And I just want my baby to be safe. … I just want him to recover. ‘
According to Smalls’ lawyers, legend had been in a fan for more than ten days and had several seizures. The part of his skull that was removed was due to brain swelling of the bullet.
Smalls was in her car when the suspect tried to get into her car and demanded that she give up her vehicle. Knowing the legend was inside, she refused, Smalls said.
“When the person jumped in my car, and the police were right behind him,” Smalls said. ‘Before I know what [was] happened, they shot out all my car, and I was just scared for my son’s life. ”
Crump, a civil rights attorney, accused Houston police of endangering the mother, child and others by shooting the suspect. Even though they were unaware that Legend was in the car, officers knew Smalls was inside, Crump said.
‘The objectivity is that there are innocent people in the line of fire. “We know you will not shoot unless you know what your target is,” Crump said. ‘And it’s clear the Houston police did not know their target because they hit the legend squarely in the skull. Not a pasture. ”
Houston police issued a statement Tuesday, reiterating that officers involved in the shooting believe Smalls was stolen with a car hijacking.
“Out of fear for the safety of the mother, one of our officers fired his duty weapon and fatally struck the suspect,” Houston chief Art Acevedo said. ‘Unfortunately, the legend of baby was also hit. Officers at the scene immediately provided Legend with first aid. ”
The case is being investigated by the department’s internal business and special investigation unit and a separate investigation is being conducted by the district attorney. Acevedo described the investigations as procedural and customary.
The officer who fired his weapon is on administrative duty, which is also the standard procedure, Finner said the day after the shooting. According to Finner, the officer was ‘deeply concerned’ about Legend’s well-being.