Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton has ruled that a father's actions were legally justified when he shot and killed his 17-year-old son on Feb. 3, 2013.

According to investigative reports, police were dispatched to the family's home in Clayton Township after the 64-year-old father shot his son once in the abdomen during a violent physical confrontation between the man's son and his wife and daughter.

Leyton said the father was in his bedroom when he heard the dispute and came out to find his son punching his mother and sister. The father, who is a double-amputee and uses a wheelchair, shot his son with a .45 caliber handgun. The son was taken to Hurley Medical Center in Flint where he was pronounced dead.

"This was a very sad and tragic situation but based on all the evidence, I have determined that the father was legally justified in using deadly force against his son in defense of his wife and daughter," said Leyton.

Leyton noted that the 17-year-old son had a lengthy juvenile court history that included violent confrontations with family members.

"These types of situations are always very difficult because you have to ask whether deadly force was necessary or whether other reasonable means could have been employed to alleviate the situation at hand," said Leyton. "I rarely advocate using deadly force unless absolutely necessary but, in this case, I think the father did what he needed to do to protect himself and his wife and daughter." he said.

"It's just a very said situation all around and my heart goes out to the family," he said.

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