Wisconsin

Lake Geneva man accused in fatal shooting of 8-year-old said he ‘did something stupid:' Court docs

Steven Merkel allegedly pulled the trigger while pointing the gun at the 8-year-old -- not realizing it would fire without a magazine, authorities said.

The Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, man accused in the death of an 8-year-old boy revealed he was handling a gun at the time of the shooting to make him "look cool," court documents stated.

Steven Merkel was charged with first-degree reckless homicide, use of a dangerous weapon, in the deadly shooting on Monday, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Walworth County District Attorney's Office.

Officers with the town of Geneva Police Department responded at around 2:25 a.m. to a residence on Lincoln Drive for the report of an 8-year-old boy who had been shot. Officers arrived at the scene and encountered Merkel, who was frantic and covered with blood, court documents stated.

Officers attempted life-saving measures on the boy, who had been shot in the front neck area. He was transported to an area hospital and pronounced dead less than an hour later.

Police spoke with the boy's grandmother who explained Merkel had been previously married to the boy's mother, and the child planned to spend the night at his house. Merkel talked to a detective and explained that he did "something stupid" - and it wasn't the boy's fault that he shot him, according to the criminal complaint.

Merkel said he initially got out a stun gun and was "popping it" to show the boy, who was squirming away. He then went to a bedroom, retrieved a handgun and took the magazine out of it, court documents stated. Merkel said he didn't believe the gun would fire without a magazine in it.

He then walked out of the bedroom, pointed the gun at the boy and pulled the trigger. Instead of expecting to click, the gun went "boom," he said. Merkel said he was trying to act "cool and exciting" for the 8-year-old.

Following the shooting, he contacted the boy's grandmother, who urged him to call 911. Merkel admitted to having "two little drinks" of rum and RC cola that evening.

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