Published: December 01, 2008 10:35 am      

W.Va. man killed 3-year-old son during shooting game, police say

BECKLEY — A 3-year-old Raleigh County boy was fatally shot by his father as the two were playing a game that involved a shotgun, police said.

Gary Wayne Garretson, 44, of Coal City is being held at Southern Regional Jail on charges of death of a child by parent by child abuse. His bond was set at $500,000.

Raleigh County Deputies were called to Garretson's Coal City Road home Saturday afternoon where they found the toddler, identified as Anthony Garretson, already dead, according to a complaint filed in Raleigh County Magistrate Court.

The boy had been shot in the face with a 12-gauge shotgun, according to the complaint.

Gary Garretson told deputies that he did not know the shotgun was loaded when he pointed it in his son's direction and pulled the trigger, the complaint said.

Garretson told police "he had done this in the past as a bit of a game with his son, saying that he was going to get him," the complaint said.

The toddler would respond, "You can't get me, daddy," according to the complaint.

Officials from the Raleigh County Sheriff's Department have not released any other details.

Deputies said no one else was in the home when the shooting occurred.

Garretson does not have an attorney listed, according to the county magistrate's office.