BURLINGTON, IA – An Iowa resident, David Carpenter, 48, has been apprehended and charged with attempted murder and child endangerment. The charges came after Carpenter confessed to shooting his father during a heated argument about his “smelly feet,” while his child was present in the room. The incident occurred at their family home in Burlington, with police responding to reports of gunfire around 9:30 p.m. on Sunday.
The victim, William Carpenter, informed the police that the dispute began when he commented on his son’s foot odor. The disagreement escalated, leading David Carpenter to threaten his father with a shooting. He then retrieved a firearm from his bedroom, according to the criminal complaint.
Upon returning to the living room, where his father was seated in a motorized scooter, David Carpenter continued the argument, now centered around firearms. He then pulled out the gun from behind his back, aimed it at his father’s face, and unintentionally discharged the weapon, as per his statement to the police.
At the time of the shooting, two children under the age of 14 were present in the house. David Carpenter confirmed to detectives that his son was in the living room watching television when the incident occurred.
David Carpenter is currently detained at the Des Moines County Jail, with a cash-only bond set at $100,000. His father, William Carpenter, was transported to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
A preliminary hearing for the case is scheduled for 2 p.m. on August 21 at the Des Moines County Courthouse. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.