Man charged in accidental fatal shooting of girlfriend’s son
BY TERESA AUCH SCHULTZ Sun-Times Media September 16, 2013 11:14PM
Zachariah L. Grisham | LaPorte County Sheriff's office photo
Updated: September 16, 2013 11:37PM
A LaPorte County man faces charges after he accidentally shot and killed a 3-year-old boy while playing a game with the child.
According to the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department, Zachariah L. Grisham, 24, shot the victim, Lance Wilson, about 3:36 p.m. Sunday at a home in the Terrace Acres Mobile Home Park near Michigan City, Ind.
LaPorte County Prosecutor Bob Szilagyi said Grisham, who was dating the child’s mother and lived with them in the mobile home park, was playing with Lance. The boy would form his fingers into a gun and “shoot” at Grisham, who then shot a real gun at Wilson, not knowing the gun was loaded, Szilagyi said. It did not appear Grisham meant to shoot the boy, Szilagyi said.
Officials have filed a probable cause affidavit for neglect of a dependent, a Class A felony, and reckless homicide, a Class C felony.
Judge Steven King issued a finding in support of the probable cause Monday afternoon and ordered bail set at $100,000. Grisham was still in the LaPorte County Jail as of Monday afternoon.
Szilagyi warned against the danger of recklessly using a gun.
“When it comes to guns, I believe in people’s right to bear arms, but it’s almost like they need to take a safety test first,” he said.
