Bond denied for Norfolk man charged with fatally shooting 14-year-old boy

NORFOLK — A judge on Tuesday denied bond for a 27-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a 14-year-old earlier this month.

Albert J. Sutton is charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless handling of a firearm in a Sept. 2 shooting at a home in the Crown Point Townhomes, near the intersection of Raby Road and Virginia Beach Boulevard.

Sutton was arrested that day and is being held in the Norfolk city jail. His next court date is Oct. 26.

According to court documents and information revealed Tuesday in Juvenile and Domestic Relations court, Sutton was showing his gun to a group of 11 juveniles when he accidentally fired a round into the torso of Amir Burnett. The boy, who’d just recently started the 8th grade at Norview Middle School, died at a hospital.

Sutton fled but returned after being contacted by police, the court document said.

He told officers he was putting the gun away when it fired and that he never intended to hurt anyone.

Amir’s mother Nyshell Traynham said her son had gone to watch football with friends the day he was killed.

He was a member of his middle school football team and was scheduled to play in his first game days after he died. Services for Amir are to be held Friday.

Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com