27-06-2025
18-year-old killed in shooting while stepdad was handling gun, UT officials say
An 18-year-old was fatally shot in the head at home, and now his stepfather is facing charges, Utah officials said.
Joseph Le Page Lee, 46, is charged with second-degree felony manslaughter, plus four counts of misdemeanor reckless endangerment, in the shooting, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office said in a June 26 news release.
Lee said it was an accidental shooting that happened after he'd gotten home from buying 'some firearm-related items' on June 17, according to prosecutors.
His stepdaughter 'asked him a question about guns, and he picked up a Glock 19x,' prosecutors said, citing Lee's account to police.
Lee said he had two similar Glocks and thought he was handling the one he'd just cleared, according to prosecutors.
'He told police that in his mind, the magazine was not there, and 'bam,' (his stepson) fell,' prosecutors said.
Security video from the home captured the shooting, according to prosecutors. It showed that about four minutes passed between the shooting and when Lee started performing CPR as requested by 911, prosecutors said.
Lee later said 'he didn't immediately render aid, because he knew (the 18-year-old) wouldn't come back from this and CPR was just standard procedure,' according to a court filing.
Before Lee started CPR, he gave his stepson a blessing, the court filing said.
The 18-year-old was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead, the filing said.
Prosecutors didn't disclose the stepson's name, but he's been identified in news reports as Haven McBride.
An online obituary said McBride was working to become an EMT and 'was ready to submit his paperwork to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.'
The 18-year-old 'was a genuine, kind, funny, friendly, thoughtful, sweet person' and ' will be missed deeply,' the obituary said.
In the news release, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said 'owning a gun is a right in our country. However, that right does not absolve all of us from the responsibility in the way we handle such weapons. If you are a gun owner, please follow proper protocol when using them, especially when others are around.'
