Front page on both local papers, plus fodder for drive time radio last night.
The Belle Plaine man who fatally shot his 8-year-old son in the chest last month while turkey hunting had alcohol and marijuana in his system at the time, according to a felony second-degree manslaughter charge filed Monday.
Anthony Klaseus, 39, told authorities that he told his son, Hunter, to stay put as he circled a field to approach turkeys sometime after 5 p.m. April 19 in a field east of Crahan Lane near County Road 6 in Sibley County, according to charges filed in Sibley County District Court.
Klaseus called to the turkeys. They called back and moved toward him.
"Then I heard something snap or break near me, and a large figure rose up," he told authorities. "I thought it was a turkey, and I shot and it went down. I thought I shot the turkey. Then my son jumped back up screaming and then fell back down."
http://www.startribune.com/local/south/18608114.html
Every paragraph, it seems, has even more details that make the story worse. I continue to be amazed at the level of irresponsibility and self-absorption of some parents. There's a time and a place for drinking beer and taking a few hits from your bong, but you've got to hope that most people would realize that a hunting afternoon with your son isn't one of those times or places.
I was in Belle Plaine when this happened and curiosity got the best of me as I drive by the scene that night before going home only to catch the FOX9 news and find out what had happened. At that time it seemed very accidental but now it's just sad that a dad could be this irresponsible.
Very sad. A very tragic, very preventable accident.