Daytona Beach Shores, FL – Investigators will not file charges against the girlfriend of a Daytona Beach Shores man after she claims she shot and killed him by accident.
The Daytona Beach Shores Department of Public Safety made that announcement on Tuesday, over 4 months after 31-year-old Robert F. Branton died at Halifax Hospital in Port Orange.
Sergeant Mike Fowler says an extensive investigation showed that 24-year-old Katie L. Begtrup – Branton’s live-in girlfriend – was taking lessons from Branton on how to use his shotgun when she shot him at their South Atlantic Avenue apartment around 12:30 AM on August 20th.
“Begtrup told investigators that prior to this incident, she had never before handled a firearm,” Fowler added. “On that morning, Branton was showing her how to use a shotgun to defend herself in case an intruder entered their apartment.”
Police believe Branton had Begtrup repeatedly dry fire the unloaded weapon and act out scenarios for around 10 minutes before she left the room they were in to change clothes.
It was when she came back a short time later that Branton handed her the gun again and told him to use it on him like he was an intruder, per Fowler.
“As she had previously done, she raised the gun and pulled the trigger,” Fowler stated. “This time, it fired, fatally striking Branton in the leg.”
Begtrup told police afterward that she had no idea when Branton had loaded the weapon.
“[The] detective was able to corroborate Begtrup’s account of the incident and determined the shooting was accidental,” Fowler noted. “Begtrup fully cooperated with the investigation throughout.”
DBS Public Safety Director Stephan Dembinsky said the facts in this case simply didn’t fit any criminal charges.
“This was certainly a tragic case,” Dembinsky added. “But in the end, it was not a criminal case.”
Copyright 2015 Southern Stone Communications.