DETROIT (WXYZ) — Iesha Belle, the mother of a 2-year-old struck by a stray bullet on Saturday, spoke with 7 News Detroit with hopes to spare another family from experiencing the same pain.
The bullet struck Bryson Montgomery, 2, as he watched fireworks that night. Belle said family members heard the shooting, but it wasn’t initially clear the toddler had been hit.
Watch the video report below:
“I checked his shirt. When I opened his shirt up, I seen a bullet hole through my baby chest," Belle recalled.
"And I asked my niece, ‘Did he fall on something? Did something hit his chest?' Because there was so much blood pouring out, and something told me to look at the back of it. I pulled his shirt down in the back and there was a hole coming out of there too, and I screamed.”
Detroit police said a group of teenagers had gathered at The Village Park one block over.
A fight led to a shootout. Investigators said they recovered 22 shell casings.
Hear more from the child's mom and aunt in the video player below:
In one direction, six bullets pierced a home. In another direction, a bullet hit Bryson.
“He is on a breathing machine, where he’s not breathing by hisself. They sedated him because he’s bleeding from his stomach. His right lung was hit, his rib, his collarbone,” Belle explained.
Those are injuries no one, let alone an innocent child, should have to endure.
“From me getting to the hospital and the nurses and them telling me out of the last two weeks, my baby was the only one that made it out of all the kids that came, that’s a blessing," Belle said.
"One of my angels had to be holding onto my baby at that moment because this is crazy. I go from watching my baby smiling to him laying in the hospital bed and not even breathing by himself. That hurts.”
Watch our previous report about the shooting in the video player below:
It's pain she hopes turns to purpose, since this latest incident involving her son is the sparking Detroit Police Department Chief Todd Bettison to stiffen the punishment for parents whose children break curfew laws.
"I appreciate them so much. (The chief) came down to the hospital. He seen Bryson. We prayed over him," Belle said.
Bettison addressed news media Monday afternoon.
"Talked to the mother. Know exactly what occurred, and what she told me was that the Detroit police had been there earlier and that they had moved juveniles along and had pushed them along," the chief said.
Watch our report about Detroit police stepping up enforcement on teen curfews in the video player below:
But the chief said the teens came back.
“Everybody know (that) a big crowd is trouble," Belle said. “Like, these kids... it's 11 o' clock at night. Where (are) the parents? But nowadays, kids party with the parents too."
Tierra Young, Bryson's aunt, said, “It's gonna be a long road to recovery. But we got this. I'm just thankful to God that he's still here, and he still got his life.”
Watch a press conference with Detroit city officials about cracking down on teen curfews in the video player below:
Belle said, "He's fighting. He's a fighter, and I just need prayers. That's all I need right now is heavy prayers for my baby."
DPD said two people have been detained for the shooting and are considered persons of interest.
