At a Glance
- Clayton Dietz, 11, allegedly shot his adoptive father, Douglas Dietz, 42, in the head on January 13.
- The boy told police he was angry after his father took away his Nintendo Switch and sent him to bed.
- Clayton accessed a gun from the family safe, loaded it, and fired at close range, according to authorities.
- He is being tried as an adult and held without bail.
Why it matters: The case raises urgent questions about gun security in homes with children and how the justice system handles pre-teen offenders charged with extreme violence.
An 11-year-old Pennsylvania boy celebrated his birthday with cake and song, then allegedly shot and killed his adoptive father hours later after losing video-game privileges, according to police documents reviewed by News Of Los Angeles.
Clayton Dietz turned 11 on January 13. That night, his parents sang happy birthday and tucked him into bed. By 3:20 a.m., police say, the boy had unlocked the family safe, loaded a handgun, and fatally shot Douglas Dietz, 42, while he slept beside his wife.
The 911 Call
Officers responded to the Dietz home on South Market Street in Duncannon after a report of an “unresponsive male,” Pennsylvania State Police told local outlets ABC 27 News, WGAL 8, and KOMO.
Inside the master bedroom, first responders found Douglas Dietz deceased from a single gunshot wound to the head, the outlets report.
Jillian Dietz, Clayton’s mother, told investigators she woke to a loud noise and the acrid smell of fireworks, according to an affidavit obtained by the stations. She initially thought water was dripping-then realized it was her husband’s blood.
She told police she spotted Clayton crouched in a closet. The boy allegedly said, “He’s dead,” before running downstairs screaming, “My dad’s dead,” ABC 27 News reports.
Birthday Turns Deadly
The family’s evening had appeared routine. Jillian Dietz said she and her husband sang happy birthday to their son shortly before bedtime, WGAL 8 reports.
Around midnight, Douglas Dietz told Clayton to stop playing his Nintendo Switch and go to sleep. The father confiscated the console, prompting the boy’s anger, according to the affidavit.
Clayton told detectives that after his father took the device, he searched his dad’s dresser drawer, found a key, and opened the family gun safe hoping to retrieve the game console, the documents allege.
Instead, he removed a firearm, loaded it with ammunition stored nearby, and walked to his father’s side of the bed, police say.
The Confession
The boy allegedly admitted to pulling back the hammer and firing once at close range. When investigators asked what he thought would happen, Clayton replied, “He was mad and he had not thought about that,” the affidavit states.
Police recovered the weapon and key from the home. No additional injuries were reported.
Adult Court at 11
Online court records show Clayton Dietz was arrested on January 13 and charged with criminal homicide. He is being prosecuted as an adult under Pennsylvania law, which allows the transfer of certain serious juvenile cases to adult court.
The couple adopted Clayton in 2018, officials told WGAL 8. He remains in juvenile detention without bail pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for Thursday, January 22.
His public defender did not immediately respond to News Of Los Angeles‘s request for comment.
Key Takeaways
- Clayton accessed a locked safe using a key he found in his father’s drawer.
- The shooting occurred three hours after the family’s birthday celebration ended.
- Pennsylvania law permits adult prosecution for juveniles charged with homicide.
- Investigators found no signs of prior abuse or neglect, according to the affidavit.
