Child Arrested After Fatal Shooting of Father on Birthday
In a shocking early-morning incident in Duncannon Borough, Perry County, Pennsylvania, an 11-year-old boy has been charged with criminal homicide after his father was found dead from a gunshot wound. Police were called to a South Market Street home shortly after 3:20 a.m. on January 13, where they discovered 42-year-old Douglas Dietz unresponsive in bed. Authorities later identified the victim’s son as the suspect in the shooting.
Dispute Over Confiscated Nintendo Switch Leads to Deadly Outcome
Court records reveal the confrontation stemmed from the child’s Nintendo Switch video game console being taken away by his father as a disciplinary measure. The boy reportedly searched for the device, located a key to a locked safe where he believed the console was stored, and instead found a revolver. He allegedly loaded the firearm and fired it at his sleeping father.
According to police paperwork, the boy later admitted to investigators that he had intended to shoot his father out of anger. Responding officers heard him tell his mother, “I killed Daddy,” after the shooting.
Suspect Held Without Bail; Hearing Scheduled
The boy was taken into custody and has been denied bail. Prosecutors have charged him with criminal homicide and his initial court proceedings are set for January 22. The child was adopted by Dietz and his wife in 2018.
Neighbors and community members have expressed disbelief over the violent turn of events in the quiet borough. Local authorities continue to investigate, with more details expected as the case moves through the legal system.
