Police say the son of a Philly cop is dead -- killed with the weapon of an off-duty officer.
Fewer than a dozen people were gathered in a Mayfair home watching the Super Bowl Sunday night. They were friends, family and neighbors of 27-year-old Christopher Donaghy and police say they were all in the home when Donaghy was shot and killed, by a neighbor according to Philadelphia police.
Philadelphia Police Homicide Captain James Clark says Ronald Parncutt began playing with a gun left out on a table by an off-duty police officer.
Clark says Parncutt pulled the trigger on the 9mm semi automatic weapon and fired one shot that struck Christopher Donaghy in the back.
Donaghy was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Police say this is a case that touches them deeply.
Donaghy's father is a Philadelphia police officer and his brother-in-law owns the gun used to kill him.
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Police say Donaghy's brother-in law was off-duty from his job as a patrol officer with the Plymouth-township police department and he was a guest at the party.
Investigators say the weapon is not the service weapon for the officer. They say he put the gun on a table and was watching the game when Donaghy was shot.
Ronald Parncutt has been charged with murder and police say the Philadelphia District Attorney's office is looking over the case to see if charges are warranted against the off-duty officer.
The Plymouth Township Police Department has placed the off-duty officer on leave, pending the outcome of its own investigation.
