8-year-old Florida boy accidentally fatally shoots baby in motel room

A 1-year-old baby girl was killed in a Florida motel room after 8-year-old boy accidentally shot her and another 2-year-old.

The incident occurred Sunday in Pensacola, in the Panhandle, after the boy’s father left the gun in a holster in the room. The man left the hotel room and the boy found the gun and shot once, hitting both toddlers, Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said Monday.

Roderick Randall (Escambia County Jail/)

The 2-year-old is expected to survive. A second, 2-year-old, a twin, was not hurt.

All three children belong to the man’s girlfriend, who was sleeping when the boy found the gun in the closet.

The man, later identified as 45-year old Roderick Randall, returned to the room and collected the gun and other items, possibly drugs, and left again. However, he was arrested and is being held on $41,000 bail hit with a number of charges including being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of culpable negligence by storing a firearm within easy of a minor resulting in injuries, tampering with evidence and failure to store a firearm in a required manner.

“We need these parents to step up and do a better job because the decisions that they make can cost in this case they can cost the lives of our most precious resource that’s our children,” Simmons said.

Randall is expected back in court July 15.

With News Wire Services