According to Indiana police, a 33 year old father was watching television with two of his children when he was accidentally shot by his 3 year-old son. The boy found a loaded handgun nearby and accidentally discharged the weapon.
The father, Michael Payless, was found dead in the southern Indiana, town of Salem on Friday night.
“The child accidentally discharged the loaded handgun … Michael A. Payless was pronounced dead at the scene,” an Indiana state police statement concluded.
Payless and his wife had three children and another juvenile in the house when the incident occurred.
USAToday reported Sgt. Jerry Goodin said the .45-caliber handgun belonged to Payless but he did not know where in the house it was being kept.
