Charges: Man illegally possessed gun used in child’s deadly shooting

A 33-year-old Moorhead, Minnesota man has been federally charged with a firearms violation following the death of a six-year-old boy.

Phillip Jones, Jr. was charged and arrested in connection to the case. 

According to the charges, on March 21, Moorhead police officers responded to a home after a child had been shot. Efforts to revive the boy were unsuccessful and he passed away. Officials learned three other minors were at the home by themselves at the time of the shooting. Jones, who had been living at the home, was not there at the time of the incident.

Investigators learned a .40 caliber pistol was found in a box on top of the kitchen cabinets. The gun was still loaded and officials found a spent casing in the kitchen trash can. Investigators determined DNA found on the gun matched Jones' DNA. Due to a previous felony conviction, Jones is not allowed under federal law to possess a gun or ammo.