Again, thanks to reporting from the Knoxville News-Sentinel, the Knoxville church shooter apparently used a Remington Model 48, 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun that fires up to three shells at a time, one after the other, without having to re-load. Apologies for the "confusion."
Did anyone know whether Tony Klaseus drank, smoked marijuana and hunted at the same time before this horrible event?
Did anyone speak up before he took his son turkey hunting?
When did Mr. Klaseus stop being a "law-abiding gun owner"? Was it on or before April 19?
KARE NBC-11 (Minneapolis/St. Paul) has today's story:
A Belle Plaine man pleaded guilty Thursday to manslaughter in connection with the shooting death of his own son.
In return, authorities dropped several other charges against 40 year old Tony Klaseus.
His 8 year old son Hunter died April 19 when he was hit by a shotgun blast from his father's gun. The two were hunting turkeys.
Klaseus had told his son to stay put after they spotted turkeys, and Klaseus tried to circle around to get a shot. The boy did not stay where his father told him to, and when Klaseus fired, the shot hit his son. The boy was wearing camoflage.
Authorities filed charges after finding alcohol and marijuana in Klaseus' system. His blood alcohol level measured .06. They also found several empty beer cans and marijuana paraphenalia in his pickup.
PALM BAY, Fla. --Photos of a 6-year-old girl posing with guns were discovered during the search of a Central Florida home on Friday.Â
Police said they were shocked to find the photos during an investigation for a burglary case.Â
While searching a home, Palm Bay police and Brevard County sheriff’s detectives found photos on a cell phone of their suspect posing with an SKS rifle, police said. They also found the photos of the suspect’s daughter posing with guns.Â
Police said the girl’s father gave her the guns and told her to pose.Â
"He thought it was kind of funny that the little girl was holding a pistol," Detective Steve Hill of Palm Bay Police said. "That’s what he said initially but I think he realizes the error that he made now."Â
"Six-year-olds and guns, it shouldn’t be happening," neighbor Mike McCollum said.
...
The father has not been criminally charged in connection with the pictures of his daughter, but he was arrested. As a five-time convicted felon, it is illegal for him to possess a firearm. He was also charged with grand theft and dealing stolen property.