NEED TO KNOW
- An 11-year-old boy allegedly shot and killed his father Douglas Dietz on Tuesday, Jan. 13
- The boy is believed to have shot his father after his dad took away his Nintendo Switch
- The boy has been charged with criminal homicide and is being held without bail
An 11-year-old boy allegedly shot and killed his father after his dad took away his Nintendo Switch.
The boy, who lives in Duncannon Borough in Perry County, Penn., allegedly shot and killed his father Douglas Dietz after his dad, 42, took away his son’s Nintendo Switch on Tuesday, Jan. 13, local outlet WGAL reports.
According to court records reviewed by PEOPLE, the boy has been charged with criminal homicide, and a preliminary hearing has been set for Jan. 22. He was denied bail.
Douglas’ wife Jillian Dietz told police that she awoke to the loud noise of the gunshot, and recounted a fiery smell, according to WGAL. Citing court documents, the outlet reports that she tried to nudge Douglas awake, and heard a dripping noise, realizing he was heavily bleeding.
The boy then allegedly entered the bedroom and shouted, “Daddy’s dead,” WGAL reports. Authorities at the scene also allegedly claimed they heard the boy tell Jillian, “I killed Daddy,” according to the outlet. The boy was adopted by his parents in 2018, authorities confirmed to WGAL.
The 11-year-old reportedly told investigators that he enjoyed the day with his parents, and police noted that it was his birthday, per the outlet. “When his dad told him he needed to go to bed, he got mad at him,” the documents obtained by WGAL alleged.
The boy told police “I shot somebody,” according to the affidavit obtained by WGAL. “He admitted that he had someone in mind whom he was going to shoot, whom he identified as his father,” the documents obtained by the outlet said.
In interviews conducted with him, the boy claimed that he found the key to his father’s safe and unlocked it, believing his Switch to be inside. Instead, he found Douglas’ revolver, and allegedly admitted to “removing the gun from the safe, loading bullets into it and walking over to his father’s side of the bed,” the affidavit obtained by WGAL alleges. “He pulled back the hammer and fired the gun at his father.”
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The boy said he was “mad, and he had not thought about that,” regarding whether he intended to fatally shoot his father, investigators confirmed to WGAL.
Later in an interview with authorities, Jillian said the boy told her, “I killed my dad. I hate myself,” KOMO News reports.
Documents obtained by KOMO noted that the boy had a “large contusion” above his left eye and a small laceration near the middle of his lower lip when he was questioned by police.
PEOPLE has reached out to Pennsylvania State Police and an attorney for the boy for comment.
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