VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A Virginia Beach couple says their 8-year-old son is in a medically induced coma after a stray bullet hit him while inside their home Tuesday evening.
The Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) hasn’t released many details about the shooting on Peele Court, but investigators call the child a bystander.
13News Now spoke with Emily Rigsby and Steven Davis roughly 48 hours after the shooting sent their son, 8-year-old Landyn Davis, to the hospital.
The parents say they were at a school meeting for one of their other children on Tuesday evening when they got a call from their 15-year-old daughter. She told them that Landyn had been shot.
“We rushed home. The whole street was blocked off. There was so many police," Rigsby recalled.
Rigsby and Davis say first responders rushed their son to the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters. They say Landyn is currently in a coma.
“The next couple of days are really crucial because of the swelling in his brain," Rigsby said. "We’re just having faith that he’s going to pull through, but we know he will because he’s strong."
Landyn's parents say the boy was playing video games on the computer Tuesday evening like he typically does. They say suddenly, a stray bullet shot through the front of the house and hit Landyn in the head.
Landyn Davis
“He was just playing a video game, minding his own business. Next thing you know, he’s in a damn warzone," Davis said.
The couple estimates at least 20 bullets hit their home.
“It makes you not want to go home because you never know," echoed Rigsby.
Virginia Beach Police haven’t said what led up to the shooting. Landyn’s parents believe their home simply got caught in the crossfire.
“They were not targeting my house. We just think they were targeting someone in front of my house," Rigsby said.
The couple said Landyn has a long road to recovery, but they remain hopeful.
“After the next couple of days, if the swelling is under control, then they’ll start moving on to the next stages," Rigsby said. "Get him through physical therapy, get him back to the kid he was before.”
The family is asking for help during this difficult time. For more information, click here.
13News Now has reached out to VBPD for more information on the shooting. A police spokeswoman said they can’t release many details as that could hamper the ongoing investigation.