A Port Vue police officer whose 5-year-old son fatally shot himself with his father's service weapon has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and other crimes in the boy's death.
Officer John Thompson, 38, surrendered this afternoon to Allegheny County Police, who also charged him with five counts of reckless endangerment and child endangerment -- one for each of his five children.
-----
Mr. Thompson told detectives he returned from a trip and stashed the .45-caliber Glock, still in its holster, on the first shelf of the closet. He said it was fully loaded and had one round in the chamber -- "ready to rock," the complaint says.
He also kept snacks and the children's Christmas gifts in the same closet, as well as another loaded handgun and an AR-15 rifle, police said.
Detectives said based on his height and the height of the shelf, Gavin "could have easily reached the first shelf utilizing the office chair that is kept at the computer desk in the bedroom to gain access to the closet shelf where Thompson kept his duty weapon."
Read more:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11019/1119057-100.stm#ixzz1BVwg9qzfThompson also kept snacks in the closet to take with him on duty, and he often fought with his children not to go inside and get the snacks, according to the complaint.
Thompson's wife had hidden Christmas presents in the same closet, and at least one child knew the presents were there, police said in the complaint.
In addition to his duty weapon, Thompson kept a 9 mm in the house and owned an AR-15 rifle, according to the complaint. He kept nearly 700 rounds of ammunition for the two handguns and the rifle, the complaint said.
Gavin was Thompson's second-youngest son. Thompson showed his oldest how to use a weapon, and he had to slap Gavin's hands in the past for touching it, the complaint said.
http://www.wtae.com/allegheny/25926950/detail.htmlHot local talk radio story today. Should he be tried? If not, should he still be a police officer. Incidentally a state trooper's son about same age wounded himself just recently as well and so far I haven't heard any charges against him.