Children Riddle Father With BBs on Order From Mother, Police Say

TAVARES, Fla. — Police said Tuesday that a Florida man’s young children shot him seven times with BB guns when their mother ordered them to fire during an argument between the couple.

The 29-year-old father, who showed up at a hospital Sunday with five BB wounds in his chest, one in his arm and one in his cheek, was not cooperating with Lake County sheriff’s deputies, officials said.

Sheriff’s officials said the hospital staff told them that the man, whose name was withheld to protect the 6- and 8-year-old children, got into a shoving match with his wife.

The mother ordered the children into the house and told them to shoot their father, using the Red Ryder BB rifles they had been playing with outside, officials said.

“Shoot him!” the woman shouted at the boy and girl, and they riddled the father with BBs, the man told sheriff’s deputies.

No immediate arrests were made.

“I think the deputies were at a loss how to proceed because of the nature of the incident,” Lt. Chris Daniels said.

The youngsters could be charged at most with simple battery because the BB guns were unlikely to cause great bodily harm, he said. In any case, the father refused to press charges against his children.

Daniels said investigators probably will focus on the mother, who could face charges, such as contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The 28-year-old woman is a dispatcher for the Leesburg police, but so far, the department has not taken any action against her.