Dad of 4-year-old who shot herself wants justice

Click here for updates on this story

    TEMPSE, Arizona (KPHO/KTVK) — The father of the 4-year-old girl who accidentally shot herself in a Tempe apartment Sunday night wants justice for his daughter and answers. “Put away your weapons. Just don’t leave them laying (sic) around. Like I said, it’s ignorance and stupidity,” said Robert Gonzalez Jr.

Tempe Police were called to an apartment on Sunday night. Police say it appears 4-year-old Karyn found a gun that her older sibling put under a piece of furniture, believing it was out of sight and no longer a risk. “What I wanna know, how did a 4-year-old pick up a gun and actually turn it around and point it at herself?” Gonzalez said. “My daughter don’t got a face. To all you cowards out there who want to carry a gun, you’re no man with that. For what? She’s not here no more. She is not here no more. I cannot get her back.”

Karyn died at the scene. Gonzalez says he is separated from Karyn’s mom and last saw his daughter two weeks ago. “We played. She talk to me, ‘Come play with me daddy,’ and she’ll grab my finger and I’ll follow her everywhere. She made sure I didn’t go to sleep that day,” Gonzalez said. “I was supposed to see her this past weekend but I had to work, or else my baby would still be here, if she was in my hands.”

Gonzalez said Karyn was a girly girl, and his princess. She loved to dance and sing. This Friday was supposed to be her graduation from preschool. “Beautiful, fun, enjoying life to the fullest, innocent — innocent! I’m never going to get her back again,” Gonzalez said.

So far, no one is facing charges related to Karyn’s death. Tempe Police say the medical examiner will determine the cause and manner of death, and once all necessary forensic exams have been concluded, investigators will look at all of the elements of the case and determine if there is probable cause to submit charges to anyone.

“This is an incredibly sad and tragic incident. We want to take this opportunity to remind people if you own a gun, please keep it in a locked, secured, and in a safe place out of reach of children. We continue to keep the victim and her family in our thoughts,” Tempe Police added.

If you would like to help the family with funeral expenses, you can visit this website: gofundme.com/f/help-heavens-newest-angel-4-yr-old-karyn?qid=9daeb7987b2190fcbc89c3d465f33d32&utm_campaign=p_cp_url&utm_medium=os&utm_source=customer

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.