Brandon D. “JR” Owens Jr. had a happy and joyful spirit before he lost his life to an accidental shooting two months before his second birthday.
That description came from his obituary, which also described him as a momma’s boy who loved bath time, going to his grandmother’s house to play in the dirt and throw rocks, jump on the trampoline, and run around with his uncle and cousin.
“He had the purest heart, with a laugh so hard but calming at the same time,” the memorial tribute says. “His laugh will forever be missed and cherished.”
Now his mother, a former Stark County resident, is turning her pain into purpose by promoting child gun violence prevention, safe firearm storage, domestic violence awareness and supporting families who have experienced loss.
Krenautica Zollicoffer, who now lives in North Carolina, started an organization, A Safe Place 4 JRs, named after her late son. He died after being shot in the face by the nearly 3-year-old son of her then-boyfriend on Oct. 25, 2021.
“I’m just trying to protect the JRs of the world because I was not able to protect my JR,” said Zollicoffer.
The Center for Gun Violence Solutions at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore reported that in 2023, a total of 2,566 people between the ages of 1 and 17 died from gunshot wounds in the United States. This year, there have been at least 122 unintentional shootings by children, resulting in 43 deaths and 81 injuries nationally, according to Everytown for Gun Safety.
Brandon “JR” Owens isn’t the only child who has died due to gun violence in Stark County over the last several years. Earlier this month, a 14-year-old boy was charged with fatally shooting a 15-year-old girl in Alliance. In January, a 15-year-old Canton boy was charged with fatally shooting his 12-year-old brother. In June 2024, a 7-year-old was shot to death at a Plain Township hotel. In August 2023, a Lake Township man fatally shot his wife and their 15-year-old, 12-year-old and 9-year-old children in their home. And in September 2020, an 11-year-old Canton boy was charged after fatally shooting a 6-year-old neighbor.
‘What happened to my family is every parent’s worst nightmare’
Zollicoffer started her organization March 31. Much of its activity occurs on the organization’s Facebook page where she shares gun safety information, community resources and the stories of JR and other victims of gun violence. There’s also a TikTok account.
“I also provide encouragement and support to families who are grieving the loss of a loved one,” she said. “My goal is to educate parents and caregivers about safe firearm storage, domestic violence awareness and ways to prevent tragedies like the one that happened to my son.”
Zollicoffer is staying in Hope Mills, North Carolina, with her sons Saint, who will be 3 years old this month, and Savior, who is 17 months old, and her mother Creasha McNair Woodruff.
Zollicoffer is seeking employment in the behavioral health field while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in social work. She is a certified peer support specialist, able to help people wrestling with mental health conditions, substance use and grief, based on her lived experience.
“What happened to my family is every parent’s worst nightmare,” she wrote in an email. “One moment changed everything, leaving an empty seat at every birthday, holiday, family gathering, and milestone that JR should be here to experience today.”
What happened on the day of the shooting?
On the day of the shooting, police were called at 5:33 p.m. to the family home in the 1600 block of Royal Avenue NE, Canton.
Zollicoffer gave this account of what happened before the accident:
“My boyfriend, his son, and I were sitting on the couch. JR was supposed to be taking a nap in one of the bedrooms. We had just returned home from shopping. I was eating vanilla wafers, scratching a lottery ticket, and preparing an Amazon return. The other little boy was eating cookies with me before he started playing with his father. His father eventually sent him to his room. Less than 15 minutes later, we heard a gunshot.
“When I heard the gunshot, I immediately ran upstairs. I remember screaming, ‘No, my baby, no.’ Something inside me told me it was JR. I first ran to the room where the boys were supposed to be, but they weren’t there. Then I ran to my bedroom and saw JR lying on my bed with blood coming from his mouth. In that moment, panic took over. I ran downstairs screaming for help, called 911, and called my mother. My boyfriend, a neighbor, and others stayed with JR while we waited for emergency responders.”
At first, she thought her son would live, believing he had been shot in the abdomen.
“It wasn’t until I got to the hospital that I learned the injury was much more severe,” Zollicoffer said. “I was later told he had been shot in the face, beneath his eye, and that he had died.
“The news completely shattered me. In that moment, I felt like my world had ended. I became overwhelmed with grief and hopelessness and attempted to run into traffic before my mother stopped me.”
Zollicoffer believes the boys found her gun, which was wedged between a mattress and box spring, then decided to play with the real firearm and a toy gun, which was found on her dresser afterward.
Why did she have a gun?
“Like many families affected by violence, our story is complicated,” Zollicoffer wrote. “At the time, I was living in fear due to domestic violence and threats being made against my family.”
Her son’s father had been found guilty of domestic violence as the result of a January 2021 assault on Zollicoffer. After he was arrested, she moved forward with her life and entered a new relationship.
“Later, after he was released, he came to my home in Perry Township and kicked in my doors,” Zollicoffer said. “Not long after that, his sister called and told me he had learned where I was living and had threatened to come shoot up my house. I was terrified for my safety and the safety of my family. Because of those threats, I made the decision to purchase a firearm for protection.
“Tragically, that same firearm was accessed by a child, and my son lost his life,” she wrote. “The pain of that day is something I will carry for the rest of my life.”
The price she paid for leaving the gun where a child could find it
For her part in the incident, Zollicoffer was placed on probation for three years after pleading guilty to a charge of endangering children.
Today, Zollicoffer has big plans for the future, including building relationships with community organizations and public safety professionals.
In North Carolina, she became involved with the Cumberland County Firearm Safety Team and participated in the Wear Orange Day event on June 5, a national observance to honor victims of gun violence and raise awareness about gun safety in the United States.
Through the A Safe Place 4 JRs Facebook page and TikTok, she has shared JR’s story, as well as those of other gun violence victims.
“While the organization is still young, every family reached and every conversation started feels like progress,” Zollicoffer said.
Her vision is to expand A Safe Place 4 JRs into a recognized community resource. In August 2027, she wants to host an event she would like to repeat annually: “JR’s Back-to-School Kickback.” She wants to have food, games, bounce houses, prizes and free backpacks filled with school supplies. She wants the backpacks to feature JR’s photo. She also plans to provide gun safety brochures and free gunlocks to families.
Volunteer efforts to stop gun violence here
While Zollicoffer lives more than 500 miles from Stark County, organizations in her hometown are also working on the problem of gun violence.
Lynne Dragomier is active with the local group of Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, an advocacy organization. She invites others to join her.
“It’s such a good local group of people who care deeply about stopping gun violence,” the Lake Township resident said. “There are many ways we try to do that, through education and safe storage. We have a wonderful survivors support network.”
Individuals interested in contacting Dragomier about Moms Demand Action and the related Students Demand Action may contact her at lynne.dragomier.moms@gmail.com.
She also invites those interested in gun violence prevention to join the Interfaith Coalition of Stark County.
“We have made gun violence prevention one of our areas of focus,” Dragomier said.
The Interfaith Coalition offers yard signs with the message “Secure your guns so our children will live to thank you.” The signs are available for an offering of $10 each to cover the cost of production. They can be requested at this email: interfaithcoalitionstark@gmail.com, which is also a contact for people interested in joining the group’s efforts to prevent gun violence.
“It’s the No. 1 killer of children in our country now. It’s just inexcusable,” Dragomier said.
Where to get gunlocks
The Center for Gun Violence Solutions promotes safe gun storage to save lives. It says the best way to store a firearm is locked, unloaded and separate from ammunition. That means firearms are in a locked safe with the magazine or ammunition locked up separately.
It says the best place for a firearm is in a safe or lockbox attached to a wall or the floor. Children, teens and anyone else who should not have access, should not know the combination to the safe or the location of the lockbox key.
The Stark County Sheriff’s Office gives out free gunlocks. People may request them at the lobby of the Stark County Safety Building at 4500 Atlantic Blvd. NE, Canton.
Zollicoffer wants people to use gunlocks, observe other safety measures and understand that while A Safe Place 4 JRs was born from tragedy, its purpose is prevention, education and hope.
“If sharing JR’s story can save even one child or help one family avoid the pain mine has experienced, then his life will continue to make a difference,” she said. “JR is the reason I do this work, and I intend to keep honoring him by helping others.”
Reach Nancy at 330-580-8382 or nancy.molnar@cantonrep.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @nmolnarTR.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Her son was killed with her gun in Canton. Now, she promotes gun safety
Reporting by Nancy Molnar, Canton Repository / The Repository
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Nancy Molnar, Canton Repository | USA TODAY Network
