11-Year-Old Arrested After Allegedly Shooting Adoptive Father Over Nintendo Switch On His Birthday

Duncannon, Pa. — An 11-year-old boy, identified as Clayton Dietz, was arrested and charged with criminal homicide after police say he shot and killed his adoptive father, 42-year-old Douglas Dietz, in the early hours of Jan. 13.

What Happened

According to court documents and statements from Pennsylvania State Police, officers responded to a home on South Market Street around 3:20 a.m. and found Douglas Dietz deceased in bed from an apparent gunshot wound to the head. Local outlets reporting on the affidavit include WGAL 8, ABC 27 and KOMO.

Allegations From The Affidavit

The affidavit quoted in local reports says Clayton’s parents had sung Happy Birthday to him before going to bed. The child allegedly became upset after his father confiscated his Nintendo Switch shortly after midnight and was told to go to bed. Investigators say Clayton located a key to a safe in his father’s drawer, opened the safe, removed a handgun, loaded it and then fired at his father while he was in bed.

When asked what he expected to happen, the affidavit says Clayton told police, 'He was mad and he had not thought about that.'

Case Status and Background

Online court records list criminal homicide as the charge. Clayton, who was adopted by Douglas and Jillian Dietz in 2018, was arrested on Jan. 13 — the day he turned 11 — and is being prosecuted as an adult. He is being held without bail pending a hearing scheduled for Jan. 22. A public defender had not immediately provided comment, according to the reporting.

Reporting draws from Pennsylvania State Police statements and local news outlets including WGAL 8, ABC 27 and KOMO, as well as national coverage.