Police issue update after Dog the Bounty Hunter's 13-year-old step-grandson accidentally shot and killed by own father
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing
Police have issued an update after a tragic incident claimed the life of Dog the Bounty Hunter's step-grandson at the weekend, when he was accidentally shot and killed by his own father.
Duane 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' Chapman and his family were left in shock on Saturday, July 19 after a fatal gunshot wound killed 13-year-old Anthony, the grandson of Chapman's wife Francie Frane.
Authorities were called to the apartment of Gregory Zecca in Naples, Florida last weekend, but it was too late to save the teenager after a bullet struck him above his sternum.
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He reportedly lost a lot of blood before before officers from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office arrived, with the family later asking for 'prayers' after the news was confirmed.
“We are grieving as a family over this incomprehensible tragic accident and would ask for continued prayers as we grieve the loss of our beloved grandson, Anthony,” a spokesperson for Chapman and his wife told TMZ.
As of now, there have been no charges issued but a rep for the family has given an update on Mr Zecca's situation, saying he has been placed under psychiatric observation.
The Baker Act, also known as the Florida Mental Health Act, allows for people exhibiting serious signs of mental illness and behaviour that could pose a threat to themselves or others to be involuntarily or voluntarily placed under examination.
A family rep confirmed to TMZ that Mr Zecca will be monitored with 'extreme caution over fears he may try to take his own life'.
The hold is due to Mr Zecca being 'stricken by grief and not because he feels guilty of a crime in relation to the shooting', the rep added.
Police are continuing to investigate, and no one has been arrested.
Dog the Bounty Hunter is an American reality TV star who was convicted of the murder of Jerry Bowers Oliver in the 70s, something which saw him prevented from entering the UK.
He would spend 18 months in prison before being inspired to become a bounty hunter after stopping another inmate who was trying to escape.
That eventually saw him claim his title of Dog the Bounty Hunter after earning his own TV show and tracking down people who weren't meeting their bail alongside his team.
Francie Frane is the 72-year-old's sixth wife, with the two marrying in 2021 after both losing their respective spouses.
LADbible group has contacted the family representatives of Dog the Bounty Hunter and the Collier Police Department for comment.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
Topics: Mental Health, US News
James Moorhouse