Shane Osborne, a former convict, was arrested after his diaper-clad 4-year-old son was seen playing with a loaded semi-automatic gun. Osborne was arrested on live television.
Toddler Pointed Gun at Neighbour's Son
People reported that the incident came to light after a neighbour called 911. The outlet reported that Nicole Summers, a neighbor who lives in the Beech Grove Apartments, made the emergency call after the diaper-clad toddler came to her door and pointed a gun at her son.
"My son, he opened the door and then shut it and backed away and he was like, 'Uh...baby with a gun. Get out of here, get out of here!' Then I looked through the peephole. He (the child) was standing in the middle of the hallway and he was just kind of holding it behind his back and I thought...like that's a real gun. I sell guns for a living, so I know what a gun looks like," she told the outlet.
The video clip recorded from the front door camera shows the toddler holding the weapon and playing around with it. He is even seen sitting on the stairs and pointing the gun at something. He waves the gun in the air as he moves around in the hallway.
Osborne Claimed to be Asleep
NBC News reported that Osborne's arrest was shown on On Patrol: Live, a REELZ reality show, featuring the suburban Indianapolis police department. "It's almost incomprehensible what you're watching," Beech Grove Deputy Police Chief Robert Mercuri said. "I saw it the next day and even though I knew the outcome, as I'm watching the video, I was still scared. You find yourself catching your breath. I don't know how you can't watch that video, parent or non-parent and not be shocked and disturbed."
Osborne, who initially claimed that he did not own a weapon, told the police that he was sleeping when the scared incident took place. Later, the police recovered a semiautomatic Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol from Osborne and he was taken into custody.
While Osborne was arrested on felony neglect charges, the final charges will be determined by the Marion County Prosecutors Office, as per the Beech Grove Police Chief Michael Maurice.
Notably, Osborne has previously served 13 months in prison for theft and forgery cases dating to 2012 and 2013 respectively.
