A devastating incident in Pennsylvania has left a family shattered and a community searching for answers after an 11-year-old boy was charged with homicide in the fatal shooting of his father. Authorities say the child accessed a firearm that had been stored in a locked safe, highlighting a painful reality: Despite keeping their guns locked, their son still shot his father, police said.
A Night That Turned Deadly
According to a criminal complaint, 42-year-old Douglas Dietz was killed in the early morning hours of January 13 while lying in bed beside his wife. Pennsylvania State Police responded to the scene around 3:20 a.m. after receiving a report of a shooting. When officers arrived, they found Dietz suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. A revolver was later recovered from a closet that connected the parents’ bedroom to their son’s room.
Jillian Dietz told investigators that she believed her son—who had just turned 11 that very day—was responsible for the shooting. The child later confirmed to police that the gun he used had been locked inside a safe before the incident.
While officers were present, the boy reportedly made a heartbreaking admission, saying, “I killed Daddy,” according to the complaint.
Because the suspect is a minor, his name has not been released publicly. Court records show he has been charged with one count of criminal homicide and was denied bail. The Perry County District Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the ongoing case, and an attorney listed for the child did not respond to media inquiries.
What Happened Inside the Home
Investigators pieced together the moments leading up to the shooting through interviews and evidence collected at the scene. Jillian Dietz told police that she and her husband went to bed shortly after midnight, following a quiet evening during which they wished their son a happy birthday.
She said she was later awakened by a loud noise and a smell that reminded her of fireworks. When she tried to wake her husband and he didn’t respond, she noticed a sound she initially thought was water dripping. Turning on the light, she realized it was blood.
At that moment, she said her son entered the room through the connecting closet and shouted words to the effect of, “Daddy’s dead.”
Later, during an interview with investigators, Jillian Dietz said her son told her, “I killed my dad, I hate myself.”
The boy had visible injuries, including a cut on his lip and a bruise above his eye. He told police he had been having a good day with his parents but became angry after his father told him it was time to go to bed. Upset, he went looking for his Nintendo game, which had previously been taken away.
According to the complaint, the child said he found the keys to the gun safe while searching and opened it because he thought the game might be inside. He then removed the gun, loaded it with bullets, walked to his father’s side of the bed, pulled back the hammer, and fired.
When asked what he thought would happen, the boy reportedly told investigators he was angry and did not think about the consequences.
Locked Guns, Unlocked Risks
The case has reignited conversations about firearm storage and child access, particularly the assumption that locked guns are always enough to prevent tragedy. Jillian Dietz told police that firearms in the home were kept in a large safe near the bed and another smaller safe elsewhere in the room. She said she did not know where the keys were stored.
Experts say this detail is crucial.
Cass Crifasi, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, explained that children are often far more aware than parents realize. “Kids are incredibly curious,” she said, noting that children frequently know where adults hide important items—from snacks to holiday gifts—and, in some cases, keys.
A Broader Pattern of Gun Violence Involving Children
Research shows that incidents involving children and firearms are not rare. Studies indicate that children in the United States gain access to a loaded gun and unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else roughly once a day. Homicides committed by children have also increased in recent years, rising significantly between 2016 and 2022.
Medical and advocacy organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, continue to push for stronger safe storage and child access prevention laws. These measures typically require firearms to be stored locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition, while holding adults accountable if children gain access.
Pennsylvania, however, does not currently have comprehensive safe storage or child access prevention laws in place.
Even in homes where parents believe they are following best practices, gaps remain. A recent study found that in more than a quarter of households with loaded guns, at least one firearm was not properly secured. Other research has shown that many teens report being able to access and load a gun even when parents say all firearms are locked and unloaded.
Lessons From an Unthinkable Loss
While the Dietz family reportedly stored their guns in safes, the tragedy underscores how critical it is to secure not just firearms, but also the means of access. Experts recommend using biometric safes, keeping keys hidden and inaccessible, and having age-appropriate conversations with children about gun safety.
Safe storage, Crifasi emphasized, can be extremely effective—but only when every layer of access is addressed.
“This is a tragedy that doesn’t have to happen,” she said, “if we secure our guns and also make sure that keys or access methods are truly out of reach.”
As the legal process unfolds, the case stands as a sobering reminder that even well-intentioned safety measures can fail if a single weak link remains—often with irreversible consequences.
