Seattle, Washington

From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer of October 8, 2007

Police investigate family shooting

Seattle police detectives are investigating whether a Seattle man was acting in self-defense when he shot and killed his adult son this past weekend.

The shooting happened about 5:30 p.m. Saturday at a home in the 4600 block of South Cooper Street.

Spokeswoman Renee Witt said it appeared to be a domestic violence situation, and that the father, 84, had previously complained to other children that the 51-year-old son living with him had been beating him.

"It was pretty sad," Witt said.

There were few details available as to what led to Saturday's shooting, but afterward the father apparently called police himself. He walked outside when officers arrived.

Witt said officers recovered a weapon, which they took as evidence.

The son was found dead in the home. His wheelchair-bound mother, 76, also was in the house and not hurt in the incident.

Police took the father in for questioning, but released him shortly afterward. The case remains under investigation, Witt said.