Family, friends gather for balloon release to honor 4-year-old killed in accidental shooting

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- ABC11 is speaking with the family of the little boy killed Monday night when Durham Police say he managed to get hold of a gun and shoot himself.

On Tuesday, family and friends of 4-year-old Kamarii Patterson gathered in East Durham for a balloon release in his honor.

"My grandbaby was loving, and I'm going to miss him so much. I'm going to miss him," said Tina McLean, Kamarii's great-grandmother.

McLean said she'll remember Kamarii's loving, happy energy and his love of toys.

"Every time he would come to my house, my other grandson has a container of toys he will always go to and pull them toys out. And this morning, I said, Kamarii put the toys back. You know, just, you know, to make myself feel better," she said.

Kamarii was killed Monday night on Briggs Avenue after police said he accidentally shot himself. ABC11 asked McLean about the circumstances surrounding the shooting, but she said she didn't know.

"I was not here. I'm not going off of any hearsay. Only wants to answer that is his mother. So I'm not going to speak on something I'm not sure about," she said.

Kamarii's mother, Tiera, was present at Monday's balloon release but didn't speak. At times, she was physically held up by loved ones, clearly overcome with grief.

Just after the shooting took place on Monday, ABC11 spoke with a neighbor who came outside to find Tiera, Kamarii and Kamarii's little sister in the street, on the phone with 9-1-1.

"I come out, I check, and I see the mom and the baby laying in the road and she's screaming 'help, help, help,'" said Rhonda Rappoccio.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there were 1,262 unintentional firearm injury deaths among children 17 years old or younger between 2003 and 2021. Tina said she wants others in the neighborhood to use the shooting as a tragic lesson.

"Put a lock on it, put it in a safe, whatever it is, you can put it in so that the next child don't end up like my grandbaby," she said.

Durham PD told ABC11 no charges have been filed so far in the shooting, but their investigation is ongoing.