UK Coroner Determines British Man Unlawfully Killed Daughter in Texas Shooting Where Local Police Never Pressed Charges

Lucy Harrison, a 23-year-old British woman, was shot and killed by her father, Kris, while visiting him in Texas in January 2025. Local authorities did not press charges at the time, but on Wednesday, a British inquest concluded the killing happened unlawfully on the grounds of gross negligence manslaughter.

The Details: Lucy's boyfriend previously said during the hearing that Lucy became upset after she and her father argued about President Trump earlier in the day. Kris, who did not attend the hearing, said in a statement that he and his daughter were watching a program on gun crime when he divulged to her that he owned a gun, and she asked to see it. He said, "As I lifted the gun to show her, I suddenly heard a loud bang. I did not understand what had happened. Lucy immediately fell." Kris said he had struggled with alcohol in the past and relapsed on the day of the shooting, admitting to consuming over three glasses of wine. Kris blamed his relapse on being emotional regarding his daughter's scheduled departure to go home that day. Police who responded said they smelled alcohol on his breath.

Coroner Quote: Cheshire Coroner Jacqueline Devonish said, "To shoot her through the chest whilst she was standing would have required him to have been pointing the gun at his daughter, without checking for bullets, and pulling the trigger. I find these actions to be reckless."

How The Media Covered It: Fox News (Right bias) noted the details of Kris being emotional about Lucy's impending departure home, the two allegedly watching a news program on gun crime, that local police smelled alcohol on Kris's breath, that Kris said he struggled with alcohol in the past, and how much alcohol he drank. British outlets The Guardian (Left) and BBC News (Center) did not include those details. The Guardian (Left) wrote in its lead that Lucy Harrison was killed by "alcoholic Kris Harrison" and described Kris as a "'reckless' father" in the first line of its report. BBC News only briefly mentioned the alcohol aspect, saying the coroner described Kris as a functioning alcoholic. It also reported that "family members were in tears" as the coroner announced the findings.

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