7-Year-Old Boy Dies in Trespass Shooting

[cathryn]

7-Year-Old Boy Dies in Trespass Shooting
AP

HOUSTON (May 9) - A 7-year-old boy who was allegedly shot in the head by a couple who thought he and three other people were trespassing on their property died Saturday, authorities said.

Donald Coffey Jr. died Saturday morning at a Houston hospital, less than two days after the boy was struck in the head by shotgun pellets, Liberty County Sheriff's Cpl. Hugh Bishop said.


Sheila Muhs and her husband, Gayle Muhs, both 45, were charged with second-degree felony counts of aggravated assault in the shootings Thursday. They were being held at Liberty County Jail with bail set at $25,000 each and had not yet retained an attorney, Bishop said.

Bishop said the district attorney could upgrade the charges to murder on Monday, but investigators were "still trying to get the circumstances behind the incident."


The boy, his 5-year-old sister, their father and a family friend were off-roading near a residential area about 40 miles northeast of Houston when they were shot after stopping so the children could go to the bathroom.

Authorities said the couple fired after they mistakenly thought the group was trespassing on their property.

Bishop said the area includes a dirt road, trees and overgrown brush and that it wasn't uncommon for people to go off-roading there. The Houston Chronicle reported that a sign in front of the suspects' home reads: "Trespassers will be shot. Survivers will be reshot!! Smile I will."

Liberty County Chief Deputy Ken DeFoor said Sheila Muhs fired a 12-gauge shotgun once, then handed it to her husband, who also fired once.

Skip over this content DeFoor said Sheila Muhs then called 911 and told the dispatcher: "They're out here tearing up the levee, so I shot them."

DeFoor said the levee belonged to the subdivision and was not private property.

Bishop said there was no indication the unarmed victims did anything threatening toward the Muhs.

Donald Coffey Sr. suffered a pellet wound in his right shoulder and his daughter, Destiny, suffered a wound to the elbow. The family friend, 30-year-old Patrick Cammack, was in serious condition Saturday with a head wound, Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center spokeswoman Alex Rodriguez said.

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what a sad situation for that poor boys family. they should fry them,imo.

[FinsnFur]

Yeah a little quick on the trigger I'd say.
Doesnt that fall under the pre-meditated murder?

[KySongDog]

I don't know about premeditated but it definitely falls under "brain dead".   

I believe it is universally illegal to shoot someone (unless you are the U.S. Government) for merely trespassing.   

It is a sad story any way you look at it.   

[slagmaker]

Only time y9ou can shoot someone for tresspassing is if you feel in danger for your life your familys life or property. The property part is also up for debate as is what constitutes actually makes one feel in danger.

Man this kind of thing is gona give the antis a lot of new materal to use against any one they dont like.

From the text it sounds like the shooter's were way in the wrong. Dont know, wernt there.  If the shooters are found in the wrong they need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent. You cant just shoot someone cause they might be on your land and "tearing up the levee" is not grounds for a shooting unless the river is rising and yoru neighbor is trying to flood ya out.


Prayers are going out for the family of the boy and all that were hurt.

[Coon hunter]

I seen a actual News Article on that. The ones that did the shooting actually looked ,like Meth heads . Thats Probably Why they Shot him to Protect their Stash .