COMMERCE CITY, Colorado — A man is facing a manslaughter charge after accidentally shooting and killing his 19-year-old son at a home Sunday evening, the Commerce City Police Department said.
Police said the shooting happened at a home on Jasper Street. The victim, 19-year-old Danuel Smith Jr., was taken to the hospital, where he died.
The suspect, 51-year-old Danuel Smith Sr., was taken into custody on the scene. He is facing a manslaughter charge.
Police said the shooting happened upstairs in the home, where Smith Sr. was showing his guns to the victim and others. A witness told police Smith Sr. took a round out of the chamber to unload one of the guns and sat the round on the vanity in front of them. Then, when Smith Sr. moved the shotgun's forend, it went off, hitting the victim, according to an arrest affidavit.
Police said Smith Sr. told officers he was "just showing them" and that it "doesn't even have a magazine."
"I even took one out," he said, according to the affidavit. "I thought it was unloaded."
Smith's next court appearance is set for July 14.
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