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Goldsboro Boy Fatally Shot; Mother Says Family Doesn't Own Gun

An 8-year-old Goldsboro boy was shot to death after he and his brother played with a handgun in their home Tuesday. Family members said someone may have dumped the gun and the boy picked it up, thinking it was a toy.

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GOLDSBORO, N.C. — An 8-year-old boy was shot to death after he and his brother played with a handgun in their Goldsboro home Tuesday afternoon, but family members say they don't own a gun.

Kris Wilder, 12, found Andre Wilder playing with a gun in their home, said Shenita Wilder-Dancy, the boys' mother. Wilder-Dancy said when Kris tried to take the gun away from Andre, it went off, hitting Andre.

Officers received a call of a shooting shortly before 3 p.m. and found Andre unresponsive. He was taken to Wayne Memorial Hospital, where he died, police said.

While family members are trying to reassure Kris that the shooting is not his fault, he said that he is haunted by what happened.

"If I would have turned around the opposite way, he wouldn't have gotten shot. He'd be here right now. I might as well go ahead say it was my fault," said Kris.

The family doesn't own a gun and does not know where Andre found it, said Shenita Wilder-Dancy, the boys' mother.

Dancy said that people have been using the area around her rural home as a dumping ground. She said that she believes Andre found a handgun someone tossed near their home and picked it up, thinking it was a toy.

Goldsboro police are conducting ballistics tests on the gun to determine where it came from and if it is connected to any recent crimes. Police have not said what type of gun was involved in the shooting, but the family said it was a handgun.

Dancy said she hopes that other families learn from her tragedy and become more mindful about the dangers guns pose to children.

"I hope parents start holding their children closer," said Dancy.

Visitation for Andre will be held at McIntyre Funeral Home at 1 p.m. Thursday, and his funeral service will take place at Philadelphia Community Church in Goldsboro at 1 p.m. Friday.

Andre was a boy who made people laugh, family members said.

"When I talk about it, I break down. I wished that it never happened," said Zeno Mitchell, Andre's father.

Dancy said she found out that Andre had been shot by getting a phone call at work.

"It was my heart. It just shattered. I felt like I couldn't breathe," said Dancy.

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