Will McDonald, a 47-year-old father from Omaha, Nebraska, has pleaded no contest to manslaughter after fatally shooting his 10-year-old son on Thanksgiving. He also pleaded no contest to being a felon in possession of a gun, a violation of Nebraska law which prohibits convicted felons from having firearms. McDonald’s prior felony convictions include theft and robbery charges dating back to 1993.
A no contest plea means that the defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges that there is enough evidence for a conviction, and it is treated by the court as a guilty plea. According to an arrest affidavit, McDonald heard his car alarm go off on Thanksgiving night and went outside with a flashlight and handgun to investigate. Mistaking his son, Kendrick McDonald, for someone trying to steal his car, he fired a shot, realizing only afterward that he had shot his own child, whom he believed to be inside the house asleep at the time of the incident.
Will McDonald could face up to 70 years in prison when he is sentenced in August for the charges of manslaughter and being a felon in possession of a gun.
A Nebraska man pleads no contest after fatally shooting his 10-year-old son on Thanksgiving
