MILWAUKEE (WITI/CNN) – A father faces up to 60 years in prison if convicted of first-degree reckless homicide in the shooting death of his 21-year-old son.
Randell Wright, 47, is being held on a $50,000 cash bond after being accused of the fatal shooting of his son, 21-year-old Jakari Wright.
The incident happened Aug. 18 at the apartment father and son shared in Milwaukee.
Randell Wright told officers the two got into an argument after he told his son to "clean up his room, keep things together."
The suspect stated he brought a gun into his son’s room because "he thought the gun would help Jakari back down."
"So, I got my gun, and he's like, 'Kill me. I want to die.' I said, 'No, just get your stuff and leave,'" said Randell Wright in the criminal complaint.
Defense attorney Christian Thomas said Thursday his client is left facing the loss of his son, which "by all accounts was accidental."
Randell Wright told officers the two scuffled over the gun. To avoid Jakari Wright grabbing the weapon, the father said he pushed the 21-year-old while stepping back onto something and lost his balance.
He said this caused "the gun to accidentally go off."
However, prosecutors say there are conflicts with the father’s account of what happened, based on the fact the victim was shot in the back of the head.
Those findings, they say, are more consistent with Randell Wright shooting his son "after the victim... turned his body on the defendant."
The medical examiner’s report indicates Jakari Wright died from a single gunshot wound.
Randell Wright is due back in court Aug. 30.
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