In a shocking turn of events, a St. Paul man is now facing criminal charges after an incident on Friday night that left an 11-year-old child critically injured. Martinez Castillo Lloyd, 34, has been charged with illegal gun possession and negligent storage of a gun in connection to the shooting.

According to prosecutors, Lloyd's children and several friends, aged between 10 and 13, were left unsupervised at his apartment on Pierce Butler Road. Lloyd reportedly left the children alone for about 30 minutes as he went to a store, unaware of the grave consequences to follow.

Charging documents reveal that during Lloyd's absence, his son and niece accessed his unlocked drawer in his room, where two guns were kept. Disturbingly, the children admitted to playing with the guns multiple times in the past year, including the previous weekend. Although Lloyd claimed to have warned them previously, tragedy struck that fateful night when one of the guns discharged, striking a young boy in the face.

Court documents outlined that the girl holding the gun dropped it in panic before fleeing the scene. Lloyd, upon noticing the presence of law enforcement in the area, promptly returned to the apartment. Upon investigation, the police seized two guns from inside the residence.

It was later revealed that Lloyd, who claimed to keep the firearms for protection, was actually prohibited from possessing guns or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction. As a result, he now faces prison time of up to 15 years for illegal gun possession, as well as an additional year for negligent gun storage.

Prosecutors have indicated that a juvenile, believed to be involved in the incident, may also face charges. However, it remains unclear whether any charges have been filed against the minor at this time.

Ramsey County Attorney John Choi expressed his deep concern over the incident, emphasizing the importance of securely storing firearms, especially when children are present. He mentioned the Ramsey County Gun Safety Initiative, which aims to raise awareness about responsible gun ownership and offers free gun locks to county residents through libraries and community centers.

Echoing Choi's sentiments, St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry called the incident both tragic and infuriating. He stressed the responsibility of every gun owner to ensure the safekeeping of firearms, highlighting that in this particular case, no one should have had access to a gun.

While criminal charges have been brought forth, Chief Henry acknowledged that they cannot undo the damage caused. He urged the community to take ownership of their actions and inactions to prevent future tragedies.

Martinez Castillo Lloyd is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Tuesday morning as the legal process unfolds in response to this tragic incident.