35-year-old Daniel Weber, a jailhouse deputy in St Lucie County, Florida, was teaching his minor son how to clean a gun, on the day before Thanksgiving. Weber laid his AR-15 rifle on a “TV tray”. But when the “TV tray” fell forward, the rifle landed on the ground, causing it to fire a shot and hit Weber’s daughter; his daughter began to cry when she was struck on the lower hip/left abdomen. When he applied pressure to his daughter’s gunshot wound, Weber told his son to call for help.
When Daniel Weber was taken to custody, authorities noticed the scent of alcohol on his body. Weber admitted that he drank at least six beers during that time, whilst his son claimed that Weber drank two beers and three “mixed drinks” consisting of whiskey and lemonade. His son also added that it’s routine for his father to drink “a few beers and few mixed drinks” prior to his shift. In addition, Weber disclosed on his employee file that he was arrested in Port St Lucie for driving under the influence back in 2013.
Daniel Weber stated that he had “extensive knowledge of firearms”, given that he “handled several different types” for many years. He even boasted of never having any “accidental discharges with any firearms”, let alone any salient shooting incidents. However, Weber admitting that handling firearms is dangerous cannot make up for the fact that he was “extremely negligent”; the police report noted that Weber “failed to provide appropriate supervision for several minor children”.
The St Lucie County Sheriff’s Office stated that Weber is currently on unpaid administrative leave. Although Weber’s daughter is in hospital, she thankfully hasn’t suffered life-threatening injuries, despite the fact that the injury from the gunshot wound required “immediate surgery and care”. Meanwhile, Daniel Weber is now charged with aggravated child abuse, using a firearm under the influence of alcoholic beverages, and culpable negligence. Currently, Weber has a written plea of not guilty.