3-Year-Old Boy Allegedly Killed by Stray Bullet Amid Nearby Argument

The trial for two men accused of killing a 3-year-old boy in a tragic shooting incident last year began on Monday, while a third suspect is set to stand trial at a later date. Luis Diaz was described as “smiling and full of laughter” just hours before he was struck by a stray bullet on September 28, 2023.

The toddler had been strapped into his car seat, preparing for a visit to his grandfather, when gunfire erupted near his family’s vehicle. His 22-year-old mother watched in horror as the bullet pierced through the car, hitting her young son. His 11-month-old sibling, who was also inside, was unharmed.

The accused, Devonte Parker, 30, and Juan Davis, 35, face multiple charges, including aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault, involuntary manslaughter, attempted murder, and weapons violations. Both men have pleaded not guilty and were given a $2 million bond. A third suspect, Katherine Treadway, 31, will face trial at a later date, reported Cleveland 19 News.

According to Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley, the incident unfolded when Treadway engaged in an argument with a 31-year-old man outside their duplex near West 66th Street and Denison Avenue at around 2 p.m. Following the dispute, she allegedly called Davis multiple times and moved her vehicle from the driveway.

Shortly after, Davis arrived at a nearby street with Parker and a 16-year-old boy. O’Malley stated that Parker, armed with a handgun, and the teen, holding a rifle, ran toward the residence and fired multiple rounds across the street before fleeing the scene.

“Several shots struck the vehicle, including one bullet that traveled through the 3-year-old’s car seat, hitting him in the back,” O’Malley said. The man Treadway had argued with was also struck in the foot. Emergency responders rushed to the scene and transported both victims to a hospital. While the 31-year-old man survived his injuries, Luis was pronounced dead, leaving his family and community in mourning.

A GoFundMe page created in the child’s memory reflected the devastating loss. “As life goes on for so many of us, life will never be the same for the Figueroa & Diaz Family,” friends of the family wrote, condemning the violence that cut a young life short.

They continued: “As the old proverb goes, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ However, we as a society have failed another innocent life—a child who loved chips, sizzling bacon, Hot Wheels, the show ‘Octonauts,’ and was so full of life with such a bright future ahead of him.

“The loss of any child, especially one so small to be gunned down by senseless violence, is incomprehensible. How can anyone wrap their mind around the death of a child, especially the families whose lives have been changed within an instant?”

Further investigation into the suspects revealed that Davis was wearing an ankle monitor at the time of the shooting, while Parker was wanted for a separate murder case dating back to May 2023. As the trial moves forward, the case serves as a grim reminder of the far-reaching consequences of gun violence, leaving a family shattered and a community demanding justice.