No charges have been filed as investigators work to determine how a 5-year-old boy was shot.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A man detained after a 5-year-old boy was fatally shot in Hickory Hill has been released without charges, leaving Memphis police to investigate what led to the child’s death.
The boy was shot Saturday near Innsbrook Drive and Birch Run Lane in southeast Memphis. Officers answering a shots-fired call shortly before 5 p.m. found the child in critical condition, according to police. He was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead.
Police initially said one man had been detained as officers investigated the shooting. In an update Sunday, authorities said the man had been released and that no charges had been filed.
Authorities have not identified the man or described his possible connection to the child, the location or the firearm involved. Police also have not said why officers detained him or what information led to his release.
The decision to release a detained person does not close an investigation. Officers can temporarily hold someone while examining the circumstances of an incident, but prosecutors need evidence supporting a criminal charge before a case can move forward in court.
Investigators have not publicly classified the shooting as an accident, homicide or another type of death. They also have not announced who handled or fired the gun, whether the weapon was recovered or whether anyone else could face charges.
The child’s identity had not been released as of Monday morning. Police have provided no public account of who was with him, where he suffered the injury or whether anyone attempted to give aid before emergency crews arrived.
No additional injuries were reported in the information released by authorities. Police have not confirmed whether investigators found witnesses or obtained video from homes, vehicles or businesses near the scene.
The absence of charges means no person has been formally accused in connection with the death. The investigation remained active Monday, and police had not announced when further findings might be released.
Memphis police asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH. Authorities had not announced an arrest or identified a suspect as of the latest update.
Author note: Last updated Aug. 3, 2026.