The 12-year-old fatally injured Sunday night by an exploding artillery firework in a public housing area on Lewis Street is identified as Antonio Braden, who lived nearby on Carroll Street.
Antonio was with a group of juveniles who had been setting off bottle rockets and roman candles when Joshua Woods, 24, began setting off artillery type firework shells that he said he purchased at a fireworks stand outside Davidson County. Woods had set off several of the shells when he noticed two juveniles grab two of the unexploded ones. He asked Antonio to retrieve one of the shells from a friend. That young man threw the shell, causing it to break. Woods said the next thing he knew, Antonio was holding a tube toward the sky while another juvenile was lighting the damaged firework. Woods said the shell made a strange noise, after which Antonio ran about 30 feet and collapsed. A nearby resident called 911 at 10:40 p.m. Woods and another man carried Antonio to an automobile and drove him to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
No charges have been placed at present as the police department’s Youth Services Division and the Hazardous Devices Unit continue to investigate this case. Officers are working to recover and properly dispose of approximately one dozen of the artillery firework shells that Woods left behind while rendering aid to Antonio. These shells can be very dangerous if handled without proper adult supervision and direction. Anyone knowing where the missing fireworks are is asked to contact the Communications Center at 615-862-8600.
The police department reminds Nashvillians that it is illegal to use fireworks in
Davidson County, with the exception of properly permitted public displays. Violations can result in the issuance of citations and the confiscation of fireworks.
Fireworks Safety Tips Fireworks Rules & Regulations
[quote font_size=”15″ bgcolor=”#” color=”#” bcolor=”#” arrow=”no”]The Braden family are in our thoughts and we express our sincerest condolences for their loss.[/quote]
