US father shoots and kills eight-year-old daughter ‘while teaching her about gun safety’
The father also admitted to drinking two pints of tequila prior to the incident
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
A Wisconsin man has been charged for allegedly killing his eight-year-old daughter while teaching her and his other children about “gun safety”.
Michael Anthony Huddleston, a resident of Milwaukee, has been charged with first-degree reckless homicide in the incident that occurred on Saturday. according to city police.
A criminal complaint said the 47-year-old admitted to accidentally shooting his daughter Tiana Huddleston, saying she was “in the wrong place at the wrong time” when his gun accidentally discharged.
“The suspect was handling a firearm that discharged,” said a police statement quoted by US media outlets. “The gunfire subsequently struck an 8-year-old girl. The victim arrived at a local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.”
According to a copy of the complaint against the accused that was accessed by the Associated Press, the father told detectives he fired his gun inadvertently while trying to teach his children about gun safety.
He also said he checked the safety was on before showing the gun to the children present in the house and that there was nothing in the clip.
However, a bullet was fired from the gun after he pulled the trigger, striking the eight-year-old girl on the chest.
The complaint said Mr Huddleston then drove his injured daughter to the hospital. Shortly after reaching, however, she was proclaimed dead.
The police were informed of the incident by the 18-year-old brother of the child who called 911.
The father reportedly told the police to arrest him and take him to jail, according to the report. He also admitted to drinking two pints of tequila prior to the incident.
The complaint alleges Mr Huddleston said he “shouldn’t have tried to do no extra in front of the kids” and “I did it… I didn’t try to, big mistake,” according to WITI-TV.
The Milwaukee County district attorney’s office has also charged Mr Huddleston with the use of a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Several cases of accidental deaths of children and shootings by them using a firearm kept inside the house are reported in the US every year.
If convicted, Mr Huddleston faces up to 70 years in prison. Court records did not list an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
Tiana’s family recently held a vigil for the eight-year-old outside their residence on Tuesday and has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for her funeral.