MOORHEAD — A Moorhead man, Philip Jones Jr., 33, has been arrested and is charged with firearms violations in U.S. District Court in Minnesota in connection with the death of a young boy who was shot and killed by a bullet fired from a gun Jones allegedly possessed, according to the Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota W. Anders Folk.
According to information released by Folk's office:
On March 21, officers with the Moorhead Police Department were dispatched to a residence on a report of a boy with a gunshot wound.
Life-saving measures were attempted, but paramedics pronounced the 6-year-old boy deceased.
Investigators learned that three other juveniles were present in the residence at the time of the incident. Authorities also learned that Jones had been living at the residence but was not present at the time of the incident, nor were any other adults.
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Investigators determined that a loaded .40-caliber pistol was located in a box on top of the kitchen cabinets, and a spent bullet casing was found in the kitchen trash can.
An investigation later revealed that DNA collected from the firearm matched the DNA profile of Jones, who has a prior felony conviction in Hennepin County and is prohibited under federal law from purchasing or possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
