An 11-year-old boy in Pennsylvania has been charged with criminal homicide after allegedly shooting his father dead because his Nintendo Switch had been taken away. The incident occurred in the early hours of 13 January at the family home in Duncannon borough.
Police were called to the residence at about 3.20am after reports of an unresponsive male. Officers found 42-year-old Douglas Dietz dead in bed from a gunshot wound to the head. The bedroom he shared with his wife was connected to their son's bedroom by a closet, according to court documents.
Investigators identified the boy as the suspect. On the day of the shooting, which was his birthday, the child reportedly entered the bedroom shouting, “Daddy’s dead,” and later told his mother, “I killed Daddy.” An affidavit states that when officers asked what happened, the boy replied, “I shot somebody,” and admitted he intended to shoot his father.
The boy told police he found a key to the gun safe in his father’s drawer while searching for his Nintendo Switch, which had been taken away previously. He unlocked the safe, removed a gun, loaded it, walked to his father’s side of the bed, and fired. When asked what he thought would happen, he said he was “mad” and had “not thought about that”.
The child has been denied bail, with a hearing tentatively scheduled for 22 January. The case has highlighted concerns about firearm access for children in the United States.
