3-Year-Old Who Was 'Amazing Kid' Is Fatally Shot While Riding His Tricycle

Ramone Carter had been playing with his 7-year-old sister outside at a family gathering when the two were struck by gunfire, officials say

Just a few weeks away from his 4th birthday, a boy from Buffalo, N.Y., was fatally shot while riding his tricycle outside on a hot summer night, authorities said.

The 3-year-old boy had been playing with his 7-year-old sister outside at a family gathering when the two were struck by gunfire around 9:30 p.m. on Friday, June 21, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said at a press conference alongside Buffalo police officials on Saturday, June 22.

The boy, who was later identified by police as Ramone Carter, was taken by responding officers to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph A. Gramalia said. He added that the boy’s older sister was also taken to a hospital. She was grazed by a bullet and is expected to survive.

“I am heartbroken by what occurred and I think all of us are sick and tired of standing up and announcing situations like this to the community,” Mayor Brown said. He added that the shooting was not related to the family gathering.

Gramalia said two persons of interest were quickly detained and questioned by police, but were ultimately released. He added that investigators also recovered a gun, which is being tested, and that he doesn’t believe the children were targeted in any way.

“There’s no way they were targets of this,” Gramalia told reporters. “The motives of the shots being fired or the shooters and what their motive was, we will work to determine that.”

Martina Carter, Ramone’s oldest sister, told WKBW-TV, that her brother was an “amazing kid” and called his death “devastating.”

“I would have never thought a 3-year-old baby playing outside at a graduation party would be ... shot and killed,” she said, per the station.

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According to Mayor Brown, Ramone’s mother is active in the community and worked to keep other families and children safe as a member of the Most Valuable Parents organization. Now, she’s dealing with her own tragedy.

“The guns have to be put down,” the mayor said. “There’s no reason for all these illegal weapons to be on the streets.”

While no arrests have been made, authorities are offering a $7,500 reward for information leading to the arrest or indictment of those involved in Ramone’s killing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers WNY at (716)-867-6161.

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