An 11-year-old Pennsylvania boy allegedly shot his adoptive father in the head minutes after turning 11, telling police he was angry that his Nintendo Switch had been taken away at bedtime.
At a Glance
- Clayton Dietz, 11, is charged with criminal homicide as an adult
- Victim Douglas Dietz, 42, was found dead in bed at 3:20 a.m. on Jan. 13
- The boy told police he unlocked a safe, loaded a gun, and fired once
- Why it matters: The case highlights how quickly access to firearms can turn a family argument into a fatal shooting
The chain of events began on the boy’s birthday, Jan. 13, when the family sang happy birthday and went to bed shortly after midnight, according to an affidavit obtained by multiple outlets.
Birthday Turns Deadly Within Hours
Jillian Dietz told investigators she was asleep beside her husband when a loud noise woke her. She initially thought she smelled fireworks, then realized the “dripping” sound she heard was Douglas Dietz’s blood, the affidavit states.
She spotted Clayton in a closet. The boy allegedly said, “He’s dead,” before running downstairs yelling, “My dad’s dead.”
Police arrived at the South Market Street home in Duncannon at 3:20 a.m. and found Douglas Dietz deceased with a single gunshot wound to the head.
Boy Describes Anger Over Confiscated Game
During questioning, Clayton said Monday, Jan. 12, had gone well. Trouble started just after midnight when his father told him to go to bed and confiscated his Nintendo Switch.
The boy told detectives he:
- Got “mad” at the punishment
- Located a key to the family safe in his father’s drawer
- Unlocked the safe hoping to find the gaming console
- Removed a gun and loaded bullets into it
- Walked to his father’s side of the bed, pulled back the hammer, and fired
When asked what he thought would happen when he pulled the trigger, Clayton replied, “He was mad and he had not thought about that,” according to the affidavit.
Adult Prosecution and Next Court Date
Pennsylvania State Police filed the charge of criminal homicide. Online court records show:
| Detail | Record |
|---|---|
| Charge | Criminal homicide |
| Status | Being tried as an adult |
| Bail | Held without bail |
| Next hearing | Thursday, Jan. 22 |
The couple adopted Clayton in 2018, officials confirmed. His public defender did not immediately respond to News Of Los Angeles‘s request for comment.
Jonathan P. Miller reported
