Girl accidentally killed by father

MARYSVILLE, Wash., Nov. 17 (UPI) -- A Washington man who told officers he fatally shot his 6-year-old daughter while cleaning a gun had been drinking heavily, court records indicate.

Snohomish County sheriff's deputies arrested 42-year-old Richard Peters of Marysville following the Sunday night shooting while they considered whether to file felony first-degree manslaughter charges, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported Monday.

Peters called 911 after the shooting, around 7:30 p.m. His daughter, Stormy Peters, was rushed to Seattle Children's Hospital but she died there, the newspaper said.

Citing court documents filed in Snohomish County Superior Court, the newspaper said Richard Peters told police he had asked his daughter to bring his Colt .45-caliber pistol from his room. He said he had unloaded the magazine but for some reason the gun fired.

Police said Richard Peters told an investigator he "must have" pulled the trigger. He told a detective he had been drinking "double vodkas" while he and his wife cleaned the guns, and court documents indicated he said he was probably too drunk to drive.

An 8-year-old sibling, an infant and the girl's mother also were in the residence at the time of the shooting, authorities said. Richard Peters was ordered held on $50,000 bail.