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Fatal shooting at Phila. Super Bowl party; gun from off-duty officer

A Superbowl party in Northeast Philadelphia turned tragic when an off-duty police officer left a loaded gun on a table that was picked up by a friend who accidentally fatally shot his host.

Ronald Parncutt
Ronald ParncuttRead more

A Superbowl party in Northeast Philadelphia turned tragic when an off-duty police officer left a loaded gun on a table that was picked up by a friend who accidentally fatally shot his host.

Christopher Donaghy, 27, of the 3400 block of Bleigh Avenue - the son of a Philadelphia police officer - died Sunday night after he was struck once in the back, said homicide Capt. James Clark.

Ronald Parncutt, 49, who lives on the same block as the victim, is charged with murder, Clark said.

"It's tragic," Clark said. "It never should have happened."

The men were among six to eight adults, and at least one child, watching the game in the basement at Donaghy's home when Parncutt picked up the loaded 9mm Glock that had been left unattended by a Plymouth Township police officer on a table.

Shortly before 9 p.m., as Parncutt allegedly was playing with the weapon, which did not have a safety lock, he pulled the trigger once, striking Donaghy, Clark said. The victim was rushed by medics to Frankford-Torresdale Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Clark said the District Attorney's Office is reviewing the circumstances to determine whether the off-duty officer, whose name was not released, faces any criminal charges. Homicide investigators have also spoken to Plymouth Township police officials to determine whether the officer faces any administrative charges.

Parncutt has been cooperative with investigators who said he is distraught and expressed remorse about the shooting.