Norfolk man pleads guilty to accidentally killing teen while showing off his gun – The Virginian-Pilot

NORFOLK – A man pleaded guilty this week in connection with the accidental shooting of a 14-year-old last year.

Albert J. Sutton, 27, pleaded guilty on Monday to involuntary manslaughter and reckless handling of a firearm, the Norfolk District Attorney's Office said. Sentencing was scheduled for October 25.

The shooting occurred on the afternoon of September 3, 2023, at a home on Wyngate Drive, near the intersection of Virginia Beach Boulevard and Military Highway.

Sutton looked after about a dozen children, ranging in age from toddlers to teenagers, while the children's parents ran errands, prosecutors said in a statement.

Sutton had a gun on him and was showing it to a group of children in an upstairs bedroom when he accidentally pulled the trigger, the news release said. Amir Anthony Burnett, 14, was shot in the chest and later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Sutton then fled the house, leaving the children unattended. He had to try to help Amir and call 911, the release said. Sutton was arrested later that day. He initially tried to blame one of the children for the shooting, but eventually confessed to accidentally firing it while trying to put the gun back in his waistband. He has been held without bail since his arrest.

Jane Harper, [email protected]

Originally published: August 22, 2024 at 3:45 p.m.