An 11-year-old boy from Pennsylvania has been charged with criminal homicide after allegedly shooting his father dead following a dispute over a Nintendo Switch. The incident occurred in the early hours of January 13 at the family home in Duncannon Borough, about 94 miles west of Allentown.
Police responded to an emergency call at around 3:20 am and found Douglas Dietz, 42, dead from a gunshot wound to the head. The victim's wife told officers she was woken by a loud noise and smelled something like exploded fireworks. She tried to wake her husband but he did not move, and she later realised the dripping sound she heard was blood.
According to court documents, the couple had gone to bed shortly after singing happy birthday to their son just after midnight. The boy became angry when his father told him to go to sleep. Earlier in the evening, the father had taken away the boy's Nintendo Switch.
Police said the boy managed to find the key to a gun safe in his father's drawer, removed a firearm, loaded it, and walked to his father's side of the bed. He pulled back the hammer and fired, shooting his father in the head. When asked what he thought would happen, the boy reportedly said he was 'mad, and he had not thought about that.'
The boy was arrested and charged with criminal homicide. He is being held at Perry County Prison without bail, with a hearing scheduled for January 22. The Susquenita School District has offered counselling and support to students affected by the tragedy.
