Evan Thomas Silva, 26, died on Saturday after being hit by shrapnel from a cannon, which was fired to “commemorate the baby’s arrival,” Michigan State Police said in a statement.
When the cannon was fired by the owner of the house, the police said the cannon exploded, scattering shrapnel in the yard that hit Silva, three vehicles and the house’s garage in Gaines Township.
Silva was about 3 to 5 meters from the cannon and was the only person hit by shrapnel, police said. He was taken to a local hospital, where he died of his injuries.
“The cannon did not contain projectiles, but it is suspected that the powder loaded in the device caused the cannon to fracture, resulting in scattering shrapnel in the area,” according to a police note.
Police said the cannon was similar to a “signal cannon”, which releases a flash, a loud bang and smoke when fired, and “is more commonly used now as a novelty”. The owner of the house bought the cannon at an auction and fired several times before, police said.
Genesee County prosecutors will review the case when the Michigan State Police investigation is completed, the police said.