The quiet of a suburban apartment complex in Cumberland, Indiana, was shattered just after 1:00 a.m. on Friday, June 27, when a 12-year-old boy, Jeremiah Cotton, was critically injured by a gunshot wound to the head. Initially considered a tragic accident, police have now escalated the investigation into a homicide case, following a ruling by the Marion County Coroner’s Office that the young boy could not have inflicted the wound upon himself.
Initial Reports: An Accidental Shooting?
According to early police statements, the shooting occurred inside an apartment on the 11500 block of Dunshire Drive, located near Washington Street and North Muessling Street. Officers from the Cumberland Metropolitan Police Department (CMPD) arrived to find Jeremiah with a severe gunshot injury. He was rushed to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis in what police described as “very critical condition.” Tragically, he was later pronounced dead.
Jeremiah had reportedly been spending the night at the apartment, where five other juveniles — the oldest just 18 — were also present. No adults were in the apartment at the time of the shooting.
Witnesses initially told police that a 16-year-old had brought the handgun into the apartment. At some point, according to those accounts, Jeremiah picked it up and accidentally shot himself in the head.
The Coroner’s Determination: Homicide
The trajectory of the investigation changed sharply when the Marion County Coroner’s Office ruled that Jeremiah Cotton could not have shot himself in the manner initially described. That determination officially reclassified the incident as a homicide, raising serious concerns about what truly occurred that night.
Cumberland Police Chief Suzanne Woodland confirmed the new direction of the investigation in a statement Tuesday:
“Based on the coroner’s findings and additional evidence gathered, we are now treating this as a homicide case. Our detectives are working diligently to piece together the full timeline and identify the responsible individual.”
Ongoing Investigation and Lack of Arrests
As of July 3, no arrests have been made. However, the case is actively under review by the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, which will determine what charges — if any — are appropriate. Police said they continue to collect statements from witnesses and are also examining digital evidence such as phone records and surveillance footage from nearby buildings.
CMPD has not identified the 16-year-old who allegedly brought the gun into the apartment, and it remains unclear how the firearm was obtained or whether it was legally owned.
Community Reaction and Family Grief
The death of Jeremiah Cotton — a young boy with a bright future — has stunned the Cumberland community and left his family devastated. His mother, Jaleesa Weatherly, shared a photo of Jeremiah smiling brightly and confirmed that he did not live at the apartment where the shooting occurred. She had allowed him to spend the night there, unaware that it would be the last time she’d see her son alive.
Community members have expressed frustration at the growing number of children gaining access to firearms — and the apparent lack of adult supervision in this incident.
One neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said, “We have too many kids playing with guns. This was a preventable death.”
A small memorial has begun forming near the apartment entrance, with candles, balloons, and stuffed animals left in Jeremiah’s memory.
Calls for Justice and Accountability
The homicide ruling has ignited calls for justice, with community leaders demanding accountability from those responsible for bringing a gun into the home — and for what followed.
Gun safety advocates have highlighted this case as yet another tragic example of what happens when firearms fall into the hands of unsupervised minors. Indiana has no child access prevention laws, a point activists argue must be urgently addressed.
“It’s heartbreaking that we keep seeing stories like this,” said a spokesperson for Moms Demand Action. “A 12-year-old is dead, and the adults who should have protected him — and the systems that failed him — must answer for it.”
Next Steps
Cumberland police are continuing their investigation with the assistance of forensics teams and the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office. Investigators are also asking anyone with information to come forward, emphasizing that even small details could help in solving the case.
How to Help
CMPD has made the following contact points available for tips:
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Cumberland Metropolitan Police Department Investigations Unit: 317-894-3525
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Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana (Anonymous Tips): 317-262-TIPS (8477)
The family has not yet announced funeral arrangements. In the meantime, a local GoFundMe effort is reportedly being organized to assist with memorial costs, though no official campaign has been verified as of this publication.
Conclusion
What began as a tragic accident has now become a homicide investigation, shedding light on deeper issues of juvenile gun access, unsupervised gatherings, and legal accountability. For the grieving family of Jeremiah Cotton, justice may still be a long road ahead — but the community is watching, mourning, and demanding answers.