A British father living in Texas who fatally shot his graduate daughter when his pistol "just went off" has publicly stated he "fully accepts" the tragic consequences of his actions. Lucy Harrison, a 23-year-old from Warrington, Cheshire, was killed by her father Kris as she prepared to fly home on January 10 last year following a post-Christmas break with her boyfriend.
Father's Heartbreaking Tribute
In his first public comments since the tragedy, Mr Harrison has now paid tribute to Lucy as "the light of my life" and expressed being "deeply sorry" for the pain caused to her grieving family. He stated: "I fully accept the consequences of my actions, and there isn't a day I don't feel the weight of that loss — a weight I will carry for the rest of my life, and I know that nothing I say can ease the heartbreak this tragedy has caused."
Mr Harrison continued: "I cannot undo what happened, but I can honour Lucy by being the best father I can be to her sisters and by carrying her memory forward in everything we do. I am deeply sorry for the pain others feel from this tragedy. Lucy's spirit — her warmth, her humour, her kindness — will live on in all of us who loved her."
Inquest Reveals Disturbing Details
During Tuesday's inquest in Warrington, it emerged that Mr Harrison – an executive at a fibre optics company – had consumed 500ml of wine on the morning of the tragedy and that the pair had argued about Donald Trump. The hearing revealed for the first time that Lucy was fatally shot by her father while visiting his Texas home.
The Fatal Incident
Mr Harrison is not attending the hearing but provided a statement explaining that his fashion buyer daughter – described by a friend as "categorically anti-gun" – had asked to see his Glock 9mm pistol, which he had not been trained to use. Tragically, as he removed it from its locked case in his bedroom, he "heard a loud bang" and "Lucy immediately fell to the ground."
Emergency services rushed to the house in Prosper, near Dallas, after her boyfriend Sam Littler dialled 911. However, she had been shot through the heart and died at the scene. A coroner will deliver conclusions today, with a lawyer representing Ms Harrison's mother, Jane Coates, requesting consideration of an unlawful killing ruling.
Controversial Investigation
Last June, Texas police deemed her death accidental – a decision Ms Coates described at the time as "baffling" and "beyond comprehension." Mr Harrison had hired lawyers who unsuccessfully attempted to have the senior coroner removed from the case on grounds of alleged bias. His barrister accused Jacqueline Devonish of conducting inquiries "more akin to a criminal investigation."
Family Relationships and Background
After the hearing, his lawyers released a statement from Mr Harrison, who split from Ms Coates when Lucy was young and later settled in the US, where he married and started a new family. He said: "Lucy was the light of my life. From the moment she was born, to watching her grow into the remarkable young woman she became — from her first steps to her graduation, where I cried with pride — was the greatest privilege of my life."
He added: "Lucy adored her younger sisters, and our home was never truly complete unless she was in it — laughing, cuddling, and filling every room with joy. During her last visit, she wrote a letter saying that Texas was her home and that she felt lucky to be part of 'the best family in the whole wide world.' That letter is now one of our most treasured possessions."
Gun Ownership and Alcohol Factors
In a separate witness statement read to the court, Mr Harrison said his daughter agreed to let him show her the weapon after they watched a television news report about gun crime. He explained he bought the handgun as a "home defence" weapon, meaning he did not need a licence as long as he did not take it out in public. He had "no prior experience and no formal training" around firearms.
The inquest heard that Mr Harrison suffered an "alcoholic seizure" in 2023 which left him in an induced coma. He had drunk a 500ml carton of white wine that morning but did not believe he was impaired by alcohol when his daughter was shot shortly before 3pm. "As I lifted the gun to show her, I suddenly heard a loud bang," he said in his statement. "Lucy immediately fell to the ground."
Police Response and Evidence
Police bodycam footage showed Mr Harrison saying the gun "just went off." He told officers: "We were getting ready to go to the airport and we were talking about guns. It was in the bedside cabinet in a locked box. I took it out to look and it just went off." Officer Luciano Escalera said he smelled "metabolised alcohol" on Mr Harrison's breath, to which he initially lied, saying he hadn't drunk alcohol since the day before. He then confessed to having drunk a "small" carton of wine earlier.
Contradictory Accounts
In their evidence, Ms Harrison's boyfriend and mother insisted she would not have been interested in seeing her father's gun. She had previously expressed concerns that it was unsafe for her father to have a firearm in the house with his young daughters around. A friend said Ms Harrison had expressed concern about "volatility" in the house, adding that the presence of a gun created an "unpredictable environment."
Final Moments Revealed
Giving evidence, her boyfriend said she had argued with her father about Donald Trump on the morning of her death. He "always felt on edge" at the house, adding: "There was a lot of very opinionated people in the house." As they prepared to set off, he said Mr Harrison took his daughter by the hand in a "mysterious" manner without saying anything, guiding her into the downstairs bedroom where the gun was kept in a locked case. Within 15 seconds, Mr Littler heard a "loud bang" from the bedroom and found his girlfriend collapsed on the floor.
Mother's Emotional Tribute
Paying tribute to her daughter, Ms Coates, a deputy manager at a primary school, described her as "a real force of life." She said: "She was sensitive, energetic, intelligent, funny and a really great human being. She was passionate about things and loved to have debates." The inquest is due to conclude today with the coroner's final determination about the circumstances surrounding this tragic international incident.
