2-year-old dies after being shot in head, father arrested for homicide

VISALIA, Calif. -- There are still many questions surrounding the shooting death of a 2-year-old boy Thursday night.

The boy's father has been arrested for his death, but it's unclear how the boy was shot.

Police Chief Jason Salazar says what happened on Thursday night is a tragedy. He's proud of the first responders who were at the scene but says there's more work to be done with the investigation.

In May of this year, a county judge awarded custody of a 2-year-old boy to the child's mother.

The boy's father, William Stallworth, would get to see his son on weekends and Tuesdays.

Both parents were ordered to attend co-parenting classes. And Stallworth, for unknown reasons, was ordered to attend anger management classes.

Late Thursday night, police announced that they arrested Stallworth on suspicion of killing his 2-year-old son, identified as William Stallworth II.

The boy was found with a gunshot wound to his head outside a home on Sweet Court.

"So the incident occurred inside of a vehicle that was parked at this address. We do know that there was a firearm inside that vehicle," Salazar said. "And from there is what we're still trying to determine as to how events occurred, whether or not it was an intentional type of act or an accidental."

Salazar couldn't say whether Stallworth fired the shot that hit his son, but could confirm the gun was close to the child.

And according to witnesses, there may have been another man in the area at the time of the shooting, who reportedly took off with the gun that shot the boy.

Police say they need to find that man and the gun in order to get a clearer picture of what happened.

They've heard from Stallworth, but aren't revealing what he has said about the shooting.

After an investigation, police say Stallworth was arrested and booked for homicide and child endangerment.