A 13-year-old boy is charged with shooting his grandparents to death at their Pennsylvania home. Court documents say Zachary James Proper murdered the elderly couple because he was upset that they called his mother a "whore" and were "speaking poorly about her."
According to police, the kid confessed to the crime and has since been charged with two counts of criminal homicide. It's a shocking crime, to be sure. Though just as unnerving is where Proper got the weapon he allegedly used.
An affidavit detailed that he used bolt cutters to break into the gun safe at his grandparents' home and took out a handgun. He then put headphones on, crept up behind his grandmother, and shot her. He then phoned his grandfather saying he'd meet him at the front door to help carry in groceries. When the grandfather arrived, Proper took the pizza he was holding and shot him several times, only stopping when the gun jammed.
Cops found the bodies after their son (Proper's father) called asking them to check on them. He had become worried when the boy allegedly got drunk and high and stolen the grandparents' car.
It's so tragic that this crime could have been committed by a family member, but equally tragic that it happened with their own gun. We hear of shootings like this way too often: homeowner shot with own firearm or gun owner accidentally shoots own child. Yes, we have the right to bear arms, but seemingly at great risk -- not only to ourselves but to others.
I'm not sure what the answer is. Clearly this couple had responsibly locked up their gun, but to no avail. The one thing they counted on keeping them safe killed them in the end.
Do you think people should keep guns in their home?
Image via RobBixbyPhotography/Flickr
This Hot Dad Wants to Do Your Ironing
KStew Refuses to Shower
This Hot Dad Wants to Cook You Dinner
This Hot Dad Cooks AND Does the Dishes
Comments 18
The gun killed them? Thats like saying a knife stabbed someone! Their grandson killed them! That gun would still be locked away if their granson hadn't stolen it and killed them in cold blood. You don't think a kid that screwed up would have used something else if the gun was not available?
There's more to this story. They shouldn't have spoken ill of his mother, not that they deserved to die for it. But I think there's a lot more to this story that we don't and may never know.
I'd also like to know if they were his paternal grandparents or maternal grandparents. I'm thinking they were his paternal grandparents since the boys father had the police check on them.
Sad story all the way around.
He did not kill them for talking badly about mom - otherwise he would have killed them right after they said it. Instead, he snuck up on grandma and shot her. Then he lured grandpa to the house. Little fucker needs to be executed right now.