NASHVILLE, Tenn (WTVF) — An eight-year-old boy becomes the Nashville's third child to die from an accidental shooting so far this year.
Investigation at this point shows on Saturday night, Phillipé Woodard accidentally shot and killed himself with a loaded shotgun he was playing with in his grandmother's house.
The victim’s elementary school teachers say he was here for a short time, but his memory will live on forever.
Nikki Bolling and Crisma Carter say eight-year-old Phillipé was one of those students you couldn't help but to love.
“Every time that he hugged me, it was just full on, like he was my child. Just head all up in here. You know, no shame to his game,” said Carter.
These educators taught Phillipé last year for second grade at Swab Elementary School.
But he taught them something as well.
“He just wanted to be here,” said Bolling. “Some kids come to school, and then some kids, like, arrive right? Like they want to be here. And I feel like Phillipé really wanted to be here.”
But sadly, they won't see his big smile and eagerness to learn anymore.
These school halls are dark without his little light.
His teacher's learned of his passing in an email.
“Like third grader, and then I kept reading his name over and over again, denial. That was my first reaction. Like, I know it just saw on Friday, like I just talked to him,” Bolling said.
Just accepted in the school’s gifted program, Phillipé had a whole future ahead of him.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at (kelsey.gibbs@newschannel5.com).
I LOVE Forrest's stories on the history of NewsChannel 5 as we celebrate our 70th anniversary. Here's a story I wasn't familiar with until recently. Eudora Boxley had a live cooking show in the early days of the station. She may have been the first black on air at NewsChannel 5 and perhaps, one of the first African Americans to have a TV cooking show anywhere in the country. It wasn't until her grandson reached out to me that I even heard of Ms. Boxley. Thankfully, I was able to connect him with Forest to learn more about this great nugget in NewsChannel 5 history.
-Lelan Statom
