Wis. Man Says He Shot and Killed 8-Year-Old Daughter While Trying to Teach Kids About Gun Safety: Police

Michael Huddleston allegedly told investigators he accidentally pulled the trigger while "showing off" for a group of children, including his daughter

Tiana Huddleston. Photo: gofundme

A 47-year-old father in Wisconsin has been charged with first-degree reckless homicide after allegedly admitting to shooting his 8-year-old daughter to death Saturday during a gun safety demonstration gone wrong.

Online records confirm that Michael Anthony Huddleston was also charged with felony possession of a firearm by a felon. Plea and bail information for Huddleston was unavailable Thursday morning.

According to a statement from Milwaukee Police, Tiana Huddleston was shot in the chest at about 2:25 p.m. while inside her family's home. Several of her siblings were present during the shooting.

"The suspect was handling a firearm that discharged," the statement explains. "The gunfire subsequently struck an 8-year-old girl. The victim arrived at a local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries."

The Associated Press and WITI obtained a copy of the criminal complaint against Huddleston, and report that he told detectives he fired his gun inadvertently while trying to teach his kids about gun safety.

The complaint says Huddleston then drove his injured daughter to the hospital, according to WITI.

Michael Huddleston. Milwaukee county sheriff's office

Staffers at the hospital notified police about the shooting, and officers who responded to the hospital spoke with Huddleston, who allegedly described the incident as a "mistake."

AP and WITI report that Huddleston explained he believed the gun's safety was on and that it was unloaded, according to the complaint.

Huddleston allegedly told investigators he accidentally pulled the trigger while "showing off" for a group of children, including his daughter.

The complaint alleges Huddleston said he "shouldn't have tried to do no extra in front of the kids" and "I did it … I didn't try to, big mistake," per WITI.

When he learned of his daughter's death, Huddleston allegedly said, "I can't believe this [expletive] happened … I killed my own [expletive] daughter."

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According to the complaint, Huddleston allegedly told police he had been drinking tequila prior to the fatal mishap.

LaToya Singleton, Tiana's aunt, spoke to WITI, and said the gun should have been facing Huddleston.

"You took a light out of this world," Singleton told the station. "We're dim, we're dark."

A GoFundMe campaign has been established online to help with Tiana's burial costs.