Man faces felony charges after tot finds gun, shoot self dead

FRESNO — Oscar Ramos, 35, was booked on felony charges of criminal storage of a firearm in connection with the apparent self-inflicted gunshot death of a 2-year-old boy Saturday in a northwest Fresno home, Police Chief Jerry Dyer said Monday.

Jace Alexander was found with a gunshot wound to the head Saturday afternoon at the home in the 300 block of West Audubon Drive and died after he was taken to Valley Children’s Hospital.

Dyer said investigators learned that Jace shot himself after he found Ramos’ unsecured Sig Sauer semi-automatic pistol. California law requires that firearms be kept away from children with a safe, gun box or other locking device. Penalties for not doing so can range up to three years in prison.

“This was a death that was completely avoidable,” the chief told a news conference called to report the arrest of Ramos. “It’s a responsibility to our children to store (firearms) in a safe and secure manner.”

Jace was the son of Jonathan Alexander, who shares the home near the San Joaquin Bluffs with Jena Moya and Ramos, said Dyer. Jonathan Alexander was at work Saturday while Moya was taking care of Jace. Moya and Ramos were in another room when they heard a loud “pop,” and found Jace on the floor with the head wound. The pistol was on a nearby bed. According to police, Moya was unable to get through to 911 and told Ramos to do so. For unknown reasons, he hesitated, and Moya took the cell phone from him and made the call, about five to 10 minutes after the discovery of the shooting, said Dyer.

Ramos, who Dyer said “took full responsibility” for the deadly incident, told investigators that he had last seen the gun the evening before on a home entertainment center. The chief said that Jonathan Alexander on several previous occasions had cautioned Ramos not to leave the weapon unsecured. Ramos had a gun safe in his bedroom.

Ramos also was charged with possession of high-capacity magazines capable of holding more than 10 cartridges.

Investigators said the gun was last registered to someone in Van Nuys. Police are investigating how it came into Ramos’ hands, but added that it doesn’t appear that Ramos is prohibited from owning firearms.

In a previous case in 2011 involving a child, a Fresno man pleaded no contest to a felony charge of criminal storage of a firearm after a 6-year-old girl was shot and killed by her toddler brother.