A Montana father was taken into custody after his 3-year-old son found an unsecured gun and fatally shot himself Tuesday.
Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Timothy Moore’s home just after 10 a.m. and found him sitting in the road.
The 24-year-old father appeared to be in an “altered mental state” and told a deputy “to shoot him” when asked about the incident.
Police learned that Moore left his loaded gun on the living room couch while he went outside to smoke before hearing popping.
He ran into the home to find out that his toddler had shot himself in the head. The boy was rushed to Cabinet Peaks Medical Center but did not survive.
Deputies recovered the .22 caliber handgun and two magazines from Moore’s pants pocket.
They also noted “track” marks on the father’s arm indicating intravenous drug use. Drug paraphernalia was also found in the house.
Moore was charged with negligent homicide. He is being held in the Lincoln County Detention Center on a $500,000 bond.
