TOOELE, Utah — An unsettling incident unfolded in Tooele, Utah, last month when a 9-year-old boy was taken into custody in connection with his father’s death. According to recently released arrest warrants, the child is accused of employing both a gun and a hatchet during the alleged crime.
The shocking event occurred on the night of February 16, when emergency responders were summoned to the family’s residence after initially believing it to be a suicide attempt by the man. However, search warrants obtained by FOX 13, KUTV, and KSL News Radio indicate that the man, who was found unconscious and bleeding from a gunshot wound to his head, had sustained additional injuries inconsistent with self-inflicted harm.
According to the reports the victim’s injuries included lacerations to his head, face, hands, and arms. Authorities cited these wounds as evidence discounting the possibility of suicide, characterizing them as “defensive wounds” discovered by medical personnel at the hospital.
Based on the warrants, it is alleged that on the evening of the incident, the victim and his son retired early to bed following the boy’s alleged misbehavior. Later, the child emerged from their room and informed others in the household that his father was bleeding from the head and deceased, as per ABC 4 and KUTV.
Upon arriving at the scene, law enforcement officers discovered a handgun with a missing bullet and a bloodied hatchet resembling a tomahawk, as disclosed in the warrants cited by ABC 4 and Fox 13. It is important to note that several individuals were present in the home at the time, including two adult roommates and their four young children, according to FOX 13.
Although authorities have not yet released any information regarding a potential motive, the 9-year-old suspect has been taken into custody. The specific charges he may face have not yet been revealed, and the investigation remains ongoing.