A father whose 21-month-old son fatally shot himself after reportedly accessing an unsecured gun safe now faces a federal charge.
Deshawn Butler, 35, of Columbus’ Southeast Side, now faces charges in U.S. District Court in Columbus for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Butler previously was charged with child endangerment in Franklin County Municipal Court in connection with his son’s July 11 death.
Around 10:55 p.m., Columbus police responded to a call about a toddler who shot himself. When officers arrived, the child’s mother and aunt were performing life-saving measures on the front porch on the 3100 block of Quinby Drive.
Jashawn Butler, who court records say was 21 months old, died at Mount Carmel East Hospital shortly after midnight from his injuries.
Franklin County court records say the elder Butler fled from the home before Columbus police arrived, but turned himself in to police several hours later.
In an interview, federal court records say, Butler admitted to putting his handgun in a safe but reported he became distracted when his son pulled the curtains off a window.
Butler told police he went to the window to replace the curtain and then heard the gunshot, at which point he picked up his son and took him downstairs.
Butler has a previous felony conviction for aggravated burglary, which bars him from possessing a firearm or ammunition. He also had multiple outstanding warrants for misdemeanor domestic violence at the time of the shooting.
During his first appearance in Franklin County Municipal Court, relatives of Jashawn Butler asked for the elder Butler to be released from custody so he could be with the family to mourn.
Butler posted a $500,000 bond on July 15, Franklin County records show, but was then taken into federal custody. He first appeared in U.S. District Court on July 16, and remains in detention until a hearing to decide whether he should be released pending trial.
If convicted in federal court, Butler faces up to 15 years in prison.
Reporter Bethany Bruner can be reached at bbruner@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio father faces federal charge in 21-month-old son’s shooting death
Reporting by Bethany Bruner, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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By Bethany Bruner, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
