Father Faces Charges After 9-Year-Old Son Uses AR‑Style Rifle to Fatally Shoot 5‑Year‑Old Sister

PHOENIX (June 5, 2025) – In a heart-wrenching and tragic incident, a 9-year-old boy allegedly shot and killed his 5-year-old sister in their Phoenix home using their father’s AR-style rifle. Police have arrested the father, 33‑year‑old Irvin Ramos‑Jimenez, on weapons charges.

According to Phoenix police and court records, the shooting occurred on Tuesday night. Ramos-Jimenez was outside the home when he heard a single, loud gunshot inside. Rushing into his son’s bedroom, he discovered his young daughter on the floor, suffering a critical gunshot wound to the torso. Despite following emergency protocols—rushing her to meet an ambulance at a psychiatric facility—the child swiftly succumbed to her injuries.

In statements to authorities, Ramos‑Jimenez revealed that he had stored the AR-style rifle on the top shelf of his son’s bedroom. He acknowledged that his son “must have grabbed the gun,” as he had momentarily left it unsecured within the children’s reach. Notably, Ramos‑Jimenez is legally prohibited from owning firearms due to a 2021 drug trafficking conviction, making possession of this rifle a federal offense.

Following the shooting, police charged him with illegal firearm possession by a prohibited person. Investigators continue to assess whether additional charges—such as child endangerment or negligent homicide—will be pursued as the case progresses .

The incident provides a sobering reminder of the dangers associated with unsecured weapons in households with children. Phoenix Police Sgt. Robert Scherer emphasized that firearms should be locked or stored in safes, and kept completely inaccessible to children. “No family should ever have to endure the loss of a child in circumstances like these,” Sgt. Scherer said.

U.S. data underscores the gravity of the issue. According to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Everytown for Gun Safety, firearms are the leading cause of death for American children. Moreover, in 2023 alone, over 400 accidental shootings by minors occurred, with more than 30 such incidents reported just in the early months of 2025.

Legal experts and child-safety advocates stress that gun owners must understand their responsibility. Secure storage—with weapons unloaded, locked, and storing ammunition separately—is not optional; it is essential. Violations of safe storage laws can result in severe legal penalties and, as shown in this case, irreversible tragedies.

Phoenix’s prosecutor’s office has yet to file formal indictments, but initial charges could expand. If convicted of illegal firearm possession by a person barred from owning weapons, Ramos‑Jimenez faces up to 10 years in prison under U.S. federal law. Additional state-level charges might further elevate potential sentencing .

Community leaders are responding to the tragedy by renewing calls for stricter gun-storage laws and urgent public education. Experts point to successful legislation in states like California and Massachusetts that mandate locked gun storage in homes with minors; studies show these laws can significantly reduce accidental shootings .

As the community mourns the loss of a 5-year-old life, many hope this sorrowful outcome will become a rallying point for meaningful change. “We cannot allow these preventable deaths to become just another statistic,” one local child-safety advocate stated. “Our children deserve protection before it’s too late.”