Prosecutors: Dad was drinking at time of shooting
MARYSVILLE, Wash. -- A man who fatally shot his 6-year-old daughter while cleaning guns Sunday evening was drinking at the time of the incident, prosecutors said in court on Monday.
Richard Peters, 42, made his first court appearance Monday afternoon where bail was set at $250,000. He remains jailed for investigation of first-degree manslaughter.
Snohomish County Sheriff Lt. John Flood said the man called 911 Sunday to say his daughter had been shot in the head while they were cleaning guns.
Deputies arrived at home in the 4500 block of 83rd Place West about 7:26 p.m. and found the wounded girl.
She was taken to an Everett hospital and then airlifted to Seattle where she later died.
In court documents filed Monday, Peters told detectives he had been drinking multiple double vodkas and sent his 6-year-old daughter, Stormy, up to his room to retrieve a Colt .45 Double Eagle gun that was on his nightstand.
In an interview with detectives, Peters said his daughter brought the gun down and handed it to him, and he took out the magazine and pulled the trigger, firing a shot that hit the girl in the head, according to the court documents.
Peters, who served in the Navy, told investigators that all of his kids handle guns, and that the weapon that discharged Sunday has a "hair-trigger."
In the police report, investigators wrote that Peters told them he has a concealed pistol license and goes shooting often.
The exact circumstances of the incident remain under investigation, but officials said the girl's mother, a 3-year-old and an 8-year-old sibling were also in the house at the time of the shooting.
Sheriff spokeswoman Rebecca Hover said the two children have been placed into the custody of state Child Protective Services.
Detectives were at the scene through Monday afternoon collecting evidence and removed several firearms from the home.
"It's a dangerous situation when you're cleaning guns, and you have those guns in the house and children are anywhere around, you have to be especially careful," Hover said.
The court documents filed Monday said Peters informed detectives that he accidentally discharged a gun at a pumpkin shoot in Darrington. He said a friend handed him a shotgun which he didn't know was loaded, and he accidentally fired a round.
Richard Peters, 42, made his first court appearance Monday afternoon where bail was set at $250,000. He remains jailed for investigation of first-degree manslaughter.
Snohomish County Sheriff Lt. John Flood said the man called 911 Sunday to say his daughter had been shot in the head while they were cleaning guns.
Deputies arrived at home in the 4500 block of 83rd Place West about 7:26 p.m. and found the wounded girl.
She was taken to an Everett hospital and then airlifted to Seattle where she later died.
In court documents filed Monday, Peters told detectives he had been drinking multiple double vodkas and sent his 6-year-old daughter, Stormy, up to his room to retrieve a Colt .45 Double Eagle gun that was on his nightstand.
In an interview with detectives, Peters said his daughter brought the gun down and handed it to him, and he took out the magazine and pulled the trigger, firing a shot that hit the girl in the head, according to the court documents.
Peters, who served in the Navy, told investigators that all of his kids handle guns, and that the weapon that discharged Sunday has a "hair-trigger."
In the police report, investigators wrote that Peters told them he has a concealed pistol license and goes shooting often.
The exact circumstances of the incident remain under investigation, but officials said the girl's mother, a 3-year-old and an 8-year-old sibling were also in the house at the time of the shooting.
Sheriff spokeswoman Rebecca Hover said the two children have been placed into the custody of state Child Protective Services.
Detectives were at the scene through Monday afternoon collecting evidence and removed several firearms from the home.
"It's a dangerous situation when you're cleaning guns, and you have those guns in the house and children are anywhere around, you have to be especially careful," Hover said.
The court documents filed Monday said Peters informed detectives that he accidentally discharged a gun at a pumpkin shoot in Darrington. He said a friend handed him a shotgun which he didn't know was loaded, and he accidentally fired a round.
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