Breanna Runions, Rockwood, Tennessee woman charged with murdering 4 year old girl, Evangeline Gunter after purporting to demonstrate gun safety, moments after punishing child.
A Tennessee woman told investigators she was teaching a 4 year old girl firearms safety when she fatally shot the child dead at a Rockwood residence over the weekend. It was later revealed the woman had moments earlier punished the girl for not following instructions.
Breanna Gayle Runions, 25, was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse neglect or endangerment 8 or less, according to arrest records from the Roane County Sheriffs Office.
The suspect had allegedly hit Evangeline Gunter with a sandal immediately prior for failing to wake her up and eating food without permission, WBIR reported.
Suspect points gun at 4 year old girl’s chest and pulls trigger
Runions told investigators she was teaching the child gun safety during the incident on Aug. 27. Runions emptied the magazine to demonstrate the gun was safe without it according to an arrest warrant. Then Runions pointed the gun at Evangeline Gunter’s chest and pulled the trigger.
The gun fired, killing Gunter instantly WVLT reported.
Runions, who was not the child’s mother, initially tried claiming to officers that she’d taken the magazine out of her 9mm handgun in the moments before giving the so-called firearm lesson, according to the arrest affidavit.
‘Runions related that she then called Gunter over to show her firearm safety, at which point she pressed the barrel of the gun into the front of Gunter’s torso and pulled the trigger, discharging a round into Gunter,’ the affidavit said.
Authorities said the suspect ‘may have initially led investigators to believe that she was demonstrating to the scared 4-year-old ‘firearms safety.’’
Child Services had previously visited Rockwood home
But investigators started questioning her account after another woman in the home — who also wasn’t related to the girl — allegedly said Runions had been punishing Evangaline and another child earlier that day.
Just before the fatal shooting, the two kids were allegedly punished by being struck with a sandal and made to stand in a corner for not waking Runions and the other woman up, as well as for eating food without permission, the affidavit said.
Authorities haven’t confirmed the relationship between Runions, the other woman and the two children.
They also wouldn’t say why the kids were staying at the home and not with their parents.
Of note, the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) had previously been called to the residence where the shooting took place.
A woman who said she was Evangaline’s biological mother said the little girl lived at the house because of a court order and was only supposed to be there for two more months.
‘I feel like it’s my fault that I let her be there. I should have been more attentive,’ the mom said. ‘I wish I could have been a better mother for her, to pay attention.
‘But it was a court decision in everything that we had done this for, and this is what happens.’
Runions had a handgun permit for her Taurus Millennium 9mm handgun. She is being held in jail on $1.5 million bond, jail records show on first degree murder.
Rockwood is about 135 miles southeast of Nashville.
