Police: Mom of toddler who shot himself had AK47, other guns

ATLANTA — Atlanta police now say a mother whose 3-year-old son shot himself in the face had three unsecured guns in the home, including an AK-47.

Neighbors wonder why that mother needed so much firepower.

The news that police say 22-year-old Angel Douglas had three guns in her home when her toddler found one and shot himself in the face caught some of Douglas' northwest Atlanta neighbors by surprise.

"Why so many guns? Why so many guns?" LaShandra Pope asked.

Officers say Douglas had that AK-47, a 12-gauge shotgun and a handgun in her home at the Allen Hills Apartments on Middleton Road.

"It's not that serious to have that many guns around a child. Not that many to keep safe," Pope said.

Little Tradon Crawford was in stable condition at last check.

Police arrested his mother and charged her with child cruelty and reckless conduct a day after the shooting.

Detectives say Tradon found one of the guns in a room and started playing with it Thursday night. Officers say Douglas endangered Tradon's safety by not locking up the weapons.

Tenants say having one unsecured gun around a child is not good. They say three takes it a step further.

"That makes it worse. Three guns; loaded," Ray Coleman said.

Tenants say they understand Douglas wanted to protect her family from intruders. But they say keeping your family safe from threats in your home is just as important.

"Hey. You got to be more careful around your kids. You got to be more careful," Coleman said.

Douglas is being held on $10,000 bond.

The judge ordered her to stay away from firearms when she gets out.

WJAX