A 46-year-old stepfather in Riverton, Utah, has been arrested for investigation of manslaughter after he accidentally shot his 18-year-old stepson, Haven McBride, during a gun safety lesson. The tragic incident occurred Tuesday afternoon when Joseph Le Page Lee allegedly mishandled a loaded handgun while teaching his daughter about firearms. McBride was struck in the head and later died at a local hospital, prompting an outpouring of grief from his family, who described him as a kind and hardworking young man with aspirations in forensics.
Witnesses reported the shooting as an accidental discharge, but police confirmed that the gun did have a round in the chamber at the time of the incident. Surveillance footage revealed Lee racking the slide of the firearm moments before the gun went off. Given his military background as a Green Beret, investigators highlight that Lee should have adhered to strict firearm safety protocols, raising significant concerns about the reckless handling of the weapon that led to McBride’s death.
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