The final words of a father who shot his daughter during a visit to Texas have been revealed at an inquest.
Donald Trump was reportedly at the center of an argument before the shooting. The incident occurred as Trump was preparing to begin his second term in office.
Lucy Harrison, 23, was killed following an altercation with her father, Kris Harrison. The inquest examined the events leading up to her death. Evidence was heard in January 2025.
Who was Lucy Harrison
Lucy Harrison was from Warrington in Cheshire, United Kingdom. She had traveled to the United States with her boyfriend, Sam Littler. The trip was intended as both a family visit and a holiday.
At the hearing, Littler described Lucy as someone who became upset when her father spoke about owning firearms. Kris Harrison had moved to the US when Lucy was still a child. The court heard that he had previously attended rehabilitation for alcohol addiction.
Lucy’s mother, Jane Coates, described her daughter as passionate and caring. She said Lucy enjoyed debating issues important to her. Coates referred to her as a “real force of life,” according to the BBC.
Argument before the shooting
The inquest heard that Lucy and her father had a heated discussion about Trump. Littler described it as a “big argument.” During the exchange, Lucy allegedly asked her father how he would feel if she were sexually assaulted.
According to Littler, Harrison responded that he had two other daughters living with him and it would not upset him that much. Lucy became visibly upset and went upstairs. About 30 minutes before they were due to leave for the airport, she was led into her father’s bedroom.
Littler told the court he heard a loud bang about 15 seconds later. He said Harrison then began screaming for his wife, Heather. When he entered the room, Lucy was lying on the floor near the bathroom entrance.
Kris Harrison did not attend the inquest but provided a statement. He said they had been watching a news segment about gun crime. He claimed he asked Lucy if she wanted to see his firearm.
Harrison said he retrieved a Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun from his bedside cabinet. He stated that he owned the weapon for family security. He said he could not recall whether his finger was on the trigger when the gun discharged.
“As I lifted the gun to show her I suddenly heard a loud bang,” he said in his statement. “I did not understand what had happened. Lucy immediately fell.”
Medical reports indicated Lucy was shot in the chest from mid-range by another person. Despite this, a grand jury in the United States decided in June not to pursue prosecution. Officials concluded there was insufficient evidence to charge anyone.
Concerns raised, final words and Coroner’s conclusion
A friend of Lucy’s, Ella Gowing, told the inquest Lucy had concerns about firearms in the household. She said Lucy worried about her younger siblings being around a gun. Gowing described volatility in the home during previous visits.
Following the shooting, Harrison was heard shouting, “I don’t know, I don’t know, call 911.” In his statement, he said he fully accepts the consequences of his actions. He added that he carries the weight of the loss every day.
Coroner Jacqueline Devonish concluded that Lucy died as a result of unlawful killing due to gross negligence manslaughter. She said pointing a loaded firearm at his daughter and pulling the trigger was reckless.
She stated that such actions required him to have aimed the weapon without checking for bullets. The coroner described the conduct as reckless behavior.
Although the UK inquest found unlawful killing, the US grand jury previously declined to bring charges. The case has drawn attention to firearm safety and accountability.
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