Gun goes off in fight — sending a bullet through son and killing his dad, NC cops say
A 24-year-old man went to a house in North Carolina to apologize after he seriously injured a female resident there the night before during a domestic violence dispute, authorities said.
Now he’s been charged with voluntary manslaughter.
Jeremy Benson Carpenter of Monroe is in custody after an investigation connected him to two gunshot victims found at the house in Mineral Springs on Monday, according to the Union County Sheriff’s Department.
Mineral Springs is roughly 30 miles south of Charlotte.
Carpenter’s gun reportedly discharged during a struggle with 48-year-old Joseph M. Kisiah Jr., sending a bullet through his chest that fatally struck his father, who was standing behind him, the sheriff’s office said in a release Friday.
Joseph M. Kisiah Sr., 67, died at the scene, according to the release.
“An innocent man tragically lost his life and all of this could have been avoided if the suspect had not picked up the gun when he had a chance to leave,” Sheriff Eddie Cathey said in the release.
The incident started Sunday night when Carpenter allegedly assaulted Kisiah Sr.’s wife who was holding his child at the time, the sheriff’s office said.
She was treated for a head injury and Carpenter was jailed overnight, according to the release.
“Detectives determined that Carpenter is the father of a young child with a Kisiah family member and the Kisiahs’ frequently provide care for the child,” the release states. “After his release from jail on Monday, Carpenter returned to the Kisiah residence, reportedly to apologize for what transpired on Sunday evening.”
But Kisiah Jr. allegedly assaulted Carpenter on the back patio when he returned “in retaliation for the injuries Carpenter caused to Kisiah Jr.’s mother the night before,” the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies said Carpenter was able to disentangle himself and grab a handgun from his car.
Kisiah Jr. then tried to disarm Carpenter and a struggle inside the car ensued, according to the release. The gun discharged once and struck Carpenter in the hand. Deputies said a second round then passed through Kisiah Jr. and struck Kisiah Sr.
Carpenter and Kisiah Jr. were treated for their wounds at Carolinas Medical Center and later released, according to a Facebook post from the sheriff’s office.
“I am not aware of a situation similar to this one where the facts are as difficult to explain,” Tony Underwood, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, told McClatchy news group on Friday.
He said the same round that traveled through Kisiah Jr.’s upper chest is likely what killed Kisiah Sr.
“Fortunately for him, the round did not strike any vital organs or bones but unfortunately, his dad was directly behind him when it occurred,” Underwood said in an e-mail. “Although some might argue that Carpenter was defending himself v Kisiah, Jr, the real victim is Kisiah, Sr who was not part of the altercation.”
