Tragic Accident: Father Accidentally Shoots Teen Son After Drinking and Handling Gun, Authorities Report

A tragic incident in Florida has led to the arrest of a man accused of fatally shooting his teenage son, with authorities reporting that he was intoxicated during the event.

On Tuesday, Gregory Zecca, aged 39, was taken into custody over an incident that occurred months earlier, where he allegedly shot and killed his 13-year-old son. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office announced in a Facebook statement that Zecca faces charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child with a firearm, along with using a firearm while under the influence. This heartbreaking event unfolded on July 19, 2025, at the Naples, Florida apartment of Zecca’s friend, Christopher Jones.

The night began with Zecca, Jones, their girlfriends, and Zecca’s son enjoying a visit to a local bowling alley. According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, the adults consumed several drinks and later bought more alcohol to continue their evening back at Jones’ apartment.

Upon returning to the apartment, Zecca and Jones separated from the women, while Zecca’s son joined the women, sharing that the men had been “roughhousing.” Eventually, the boy returned to the kitchen where his father and Jones were located. It was there that the trio began “practicing drawing firearms from their waistbands.”

Jones reported to the authorities that he and Zecca were “dry firing” the weapon, after Zecca had checked to ensure it was unloaded, a precaution that tragically proved insufficient.

The two girlfriends placed a food order then left the apartment to take the dog for a walk. Jones told police that after the women left, he “specifically witnessed Zecca insert a magazine into his 9 mm handgun and pull the trigger.” He later contradicted himself, saying he “did not recall seeing Zecca load a magazine” into his gun.

When police questioned Zecca, he told police that he was “handling the gun and it went off,” hitting his son in the chest. The boy collapsed to the floor, and Jones witnessed blood coming out of his mouth. Zecca ran to the boy’s side while Jones called 911.

The women told police that while they were outside the apartment, they heard a muffled “pop,” but believed the noise could have been fireworks. Then they heard “frantic screaming.” When they returned to the apartment, a “distressed” Jones stopped them from coming inside, telling them, “You don’t want to see this.”

Police arrived at the apartment and declared the boy deceased. They located two firearms, including Zecca’s 9 mm, in the kitchen. According to the statement, police smelled alcohol coming off of Zecca, and Jones confirmed to police that he and Zecca had been drinking that evening and smoking marijuana.

In a Facebook post, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office said Zecca’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.116 at the time of the shooting, higher than the state’s legal limit of 0.08. His blood also tested positive for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.

It was noted in the court documents that Zecca had a long history of working with firearms, including around his stepfather Duane Chapman, better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter.

Zecca was charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child with a firearm and using a firearm while under the influence. His arraignment is scheduled for March 2.