Just found out that a 4-year-old boy who was very involved at our church (his family too of course) has died earlier today of an apparent accidental gunshot wound to his face; seems like he somehow got ahold of his father's (a state trooper) service weapon. Don't know details at all yet, but the family is new to the Toledo area.
Our whole church and community is just in a state of shock and grief right now.
I would sincerely beg you to keep ANY of your criticisms or negative comments to yourself at this present time. I don't know anything other than what I've posted here. Please just offer your prayers for this family and community. This is devastating.
**UPDATE 5/15**
The family is doing as well as can be expected I guess... kinda a long story - but they're actually members of another local church, but they hadn't been involved there in a while; the dad had been gone in the National Guard and then the State Trooper academy for about 2 years, and over the last several months the mom and children had been coming to more and more stuff at our church... but when this tragedy struck, the dad got in touch with the pastor at their church home, so that church is ministering to them more directly - which is great. Our children's pastor is organizing some things with the family, but I don't really have anything more specific on the family themselves - other than they are obviously really hurting. They are an Asian family, and they have some cultural and language barriers; obviously the dad has done ok to make it through the National Guard and Trooper academy... but apparently the mom is just unaware of the legal processes that are going to be playing out for her and her husband over the coming weeks/months. Just a terrible story all the way around. But I will say our community - and their church - is surrounding them with love and care.
Our whole church and community is just in a state of shock and grief right now.
I would sincerely beg you to keep ANY of your criticisms or negative comments to yourself at this present time. I don't know anything other than what I've posted here. Please just offer your prayers for this family and community. This is devastating.
**UPDATE 5/15**
The family is doing as well as can be expected I guess... kinda a long story - but they're actually members of another local church, but they hadn't been involved there in a while; the dad had been gone in the National Guard and then the State Trooper academy for about 2 years, and over the last several months the mom and children had been coming to more and more stuff at our church... but when this tragedy struck, the dad got in touch with the pastor at their church home, so that church is ministering to them more directly - which is great. Our children's pastor is organizing some things with the family, but I don't really have anything more specific on the family themselves - other than they are obviously really hurting. They are an Asian family, and they have some cultural and language barriers; obviously the dad has done ok to make it through the National Guard and Trooper academy... but apparently the mom is just unaware of the legal processes that are going to be playing out for her and her husband over the coming weeks/months. Just a terrible story all the way around. But I will say our community - and their church - is surrounding them with love and care.
Last edited:
![[zoomLENS]](https://rivals-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/forums/oklahoma/data/avatars/m/6/6732.jpg?1633963129){kind=avatar}
